Morarji Desai's great grandson Madhukeshwar Desai joins BJP's youth wing as vice-president

NEW DELHI: His great grandfather Morarji Desai was the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India, after having started his political career as a freedom fighter in the Congress. Madhukeshwar Desai, however, has no such diversions planned, and will be joining the BJP formally as vice-president of the party's youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Wednesday.

The grandson of Kanti Desai, Morarji Desai's only son, he is also grand nephew to former Karnataka chief minister and socialist leader Ramkrishna Hegde.

"The Congress is not the same as it was in Bapuji's (Morarji Desai's) time. My experience with BJP in Gujarat has been very good in the past," says the corporate lawyer, when asked to explain his choice.

Desai first moved close to BJP fold when he accompanied senior leader LK Advani on his 2011, 40-day rath yatra, which ironically enough began from Sitab Diara, in Chhapra district of Bihar, the birth place of late socialist leader Jayprakash Narayan.

"I was with Advaniji on his yatra, for all 40 days of it. I have worked with BJP in Gujarat earlier and I find myself most comfortable with the party's ethos and work ethic," he says.

Congress was considering recruiting Desai, looking at the party’s situation in Gujarat. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s aides had sounded out Desai. That plan however was never finalized, with Desai quite firm on being with BJP.

His inclusion is an ironic closing of the circle as far as BJP and its history with the Emergency is concerned.