A troubleshooter who courted controversies

Mumbai, Apr 22 (UNI) Known for his organisational and fund-raising skills as well as oratory, Pramod Mahajan has remained in the limelight ever since he successfully cobbled up a BJP-Shiv Sena alliance to divest the Congress of power in Maharashtra for the first time in 1995.

The former Union Minister was battling for life in Hinudja hospital here after being shot at and seriously injured by his younger brother Pravin Mahajan after an argument at his residence in Worli.

The 56-year-old Mahajan also courted controversy quite frequently with his perceived closeness to certain industrial houses, personalities and a tech-savy life-style that was different from other politicians.

Known more for his managerial skills than being a mass leader, Mahajan, however, won Lok Sabha election from Mumbai North East in 1996 but lost the subsequent election in 1998. He had became Rajya Sabha member in 1998.

Starting off his career as a journalist in Marathi daily Tarun Bharat, Mahajan worked his way through the Jan Sangh, Janata Party and BJP.

He shot into centre stage of BJP politics after he scripted the Shiv Sena-BJP victory in Maharashtra in 1995. It was for the first time that the congress had lost power in the State.

Always the party's trouble-shooter, Mahajan was described as the BJP's 'Lakshman' by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Mumbai at a public meeting during the party's national convention and silver jubilee celebrations held in Mumbai in December last year.

He is also credited for the party's landslide victory in Rajasthan assembly elections in 2003 and for securing an all-party consensus for Dr A P J Abdul Kalam as the President of the country.

Even though he worked hard for the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2004, he could not repeat his Rajasthan performance, by bringing back the Sena-BJP to power.

He came in for criticism for prevailing upon the party to advance the Lok Sabha polls after the party's victories in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the India Shining campaign in the run-up to the 2004 General Election which the BJP lost. Similarly, he was also criticised for introducing ''five star culture'' in the party. However, he took all criticism in his stride.

Throughout his political career, Mahajan courted several controversies be it the Shivani Bhatnagar murder case or for his links with Reliance during the period when he was Union Communications Minister, the post he lost soon after associating with the launch of Reliance Infocomm services across the country.

Considered close to both L K Advani and A B Vajpayee, he was the country's Defence Minister during BJP's 13-day Government in 1996.

He went on to become Political Advisor to Vajpayee in 1998 and was later made Communications Minister.

Even after Rajnath Singh took over as BJP president early this year, he was made general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra, Goa and Uttaranchal and recently was in-charge of poll-bound Assam.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2004, his strategy of using mobile phones with Vajpayee's recorded voice seeking votes for the party, was criticised.

Even after the 2004 Lok Sabha defeat, the party conclave at the Hotel Renaissance resort in Mumbai and the multi-course menu on spread also drew widespread criticism.

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