Such mistakes happen in young age: Vajpayee

MANALI: Even as the BJP distanced itself from the plight of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan’s son Rahul, who allegedly consumed drugs, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sought to be sympathetic, saying “such mistakes happen in young age”.

“Chances of such mistakes are there when you fall in bad company and that is what happened to Rahul,” Mr Vajpayee, who had a soft corner for Pramod Mahajan, told reporters after a party meeting here.

Asked whether the episode had tarnished the image of the BJP, which was planning to give some responsibility to Rahul, Mr Vajpayee re-plied in the negative.

“We will try to find the truth first,” he said when asked whether the party would take any action against the 26-year-old, admitted in Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.

Rahul is reportedly out of danger, but has not been declared fit for questioning by the hospital authorities. Pramod Mahajan’s secretary had died before reaching the hospital.