Bibek’s parents at their Navi Mumbai flat on Friday. (Fotocorp)

Mumbai, June 2: More BJP functionaries were gathered outside Bibek Moitra’s house in Navi Mumbai today than outside the south Mumbai apartment where Pramod Mahajan’s wife and daughter stayed huddled after the news of Bibek’s death and Rahul Mahajan’s hospitalisation came in.

Bibek, 39, a Mumbai-based Bengali, was arguably the closest aide of the late Pramod Mahajan. He was extremely influential because of his close proximity to the BJP leader.

But apart from being Pramod’s most trusted, Bibek was also an important member of the Mumbai BJP.

He started his career as a member of the BJP’s youth wing over 20 years ago.

“He used to study at Khalsa College in Matunga and lived close by. His association with the party started around 1985 in college when he became part of our party’s youth wing,” said Moitra’s long-time friend and general secretary of Mumbai BJP Atul Bhatkhalkar.

Bibek’s family later shifted to the satellite town of Navi Mumbai when his father Biman Moitra, a policeman, retired and found a job as a security officer with Godrej.

Biman was inconsolable as local party leaders trooped into his three-bedroom apartment at Kendriya Vihar Co-operative Society in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar.

“He is nearly 80 years old and a cardiac patient. We are all very worried for him. Bibek used to be always concerned about his parents’ health,” said a local BJP functionary.

Mother Neelu, clad in a salwar kameez with a dupatta covering her head, sobbed on and looked distraught. She did not respond to any question and kept looking vacantly.

As hordes of reporters and cameras descended on his living room, the senior Moitra gave one soundbite after another in broken and heavily accented Hindi. But he preferred his mother tongue when speaking to The Telegraph.

“He was my only son. Always very concerned about his old parents. He used to stay with Rahul, but would call us regularly. He was under a shroud of grief since Pramod Mahajan died. I can’t tell you how sad he was. Bibek was a very jovial boy, but since his leader’s death he was inconsolable. He was very friendly with Rahul and was very fond of him,” said Biman.

So does he suspect any foul play? “How do I know? I am a simple man. I don’t understand politics. All I can say is that God should not bring such grief to any parent,” he said and broke down.

Bibek was a commerce graduate who also held a law degree. He went on to become the president of the Mumbai wing of the BJP’s Yuva Morcha, a post held by Pramod in 1986 when Bibek was an ordinary worker.

“Later, when Gopinath Munde became the leader of Opposition in the state legislature, Bibek became his personal assistant in 1991,” said Bhatkhalkar.

Five years later, Munde recommended Bibek to his brother-in-law Pramod.

“And Bibek stayed loyal to Pramodji and the party till the last. He was his right-hand man. If Pramodji needed anything done, Bibek would do it for him silently,” said another senior leader of Mumbai BJP.

If Pramod was BJP’s chief fund-raiser, Bibek, say BJP leaders, was the chief executive of the project.

“He was a great networker and had the capacity of handling any job given to him. He developed close contacts with the Israeli government and often visited the country. He used to read a lot and write in the Organiser (RSS mouthpiece) on international affairs from time to time,” said a source.

Bibek’s detractors said he was a little high on the power he wielded and loved the good life. “He loved to travel abroad and yes, he did have fondness for alcohol, too. And he did use his proximity to the Mahajan family to flex muscles,” said a party leader.

Bibek was so close to the Mahajans that he practically lived with them, though he owned three flats in Mumbai’s posh Napean Sea road.