Prakash Mahajan

Mumbai, June 15: Pramod, Praveen, Rahul, Sarangi?. It was time today for Prakash Mahajan to grab the spotlight.

At a time Rahul’s political debut is under a cloud after the drugs scandal, Pramod Mahajan’s Aurangabad-based brother has staged a return to politics. But not to the party the family is associated with.

Prakash, who had snapped a three-decade connection with the BJP in 2001 after being “insulted”, was today named as one of the four chief organisers of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. He will be looking after campaigns and publicity.

Prakash lost no time in slamming the BJP for “disowning” his nephew at a time when the Mahajan family was desperately looking for support.

“It’s unfortunate that the BJP disowned Rahul even before the charges of drug abuse were proven. Had the party stood by him, he would perhaps not have undergone police harassment,” Prakash said.

Prakash, however, praised Atal Bihari Vajpayee for standing by Rahul. “He is a like a father figure. My respect for him has gone up manifold.”

Like brother Praveen, in custody on the charge of shooting Pramod dead, Prakash defended his nephew.

“Rahul has been framed. He is innocent. The police went out of their way to ensure that he doesn’t get bail,” Prakash said.

Told about reports that Rahul spent up to Rs 70,000 daily on late-night parties, Prakash said: “Is it a crime? He is young, and the young will party. The pain of losing one’s father is immense, and the boy has been coping with it.”

Asked about Praveen’s charge that Rahul kept bad company, he shot back: “Considering he killed his own elder brother, tell me what kind of good company was he keeping?”

Apollo doctors

Delhi police have summoned for questioning 50 doctors and other employees of Apollo hospital, six of whom were quizzed today.