Rahul with actress Urmila Matondkar when she had come to visit Pramod Mahajan in hospital

Mumbai, June 2: Rahul Mahajan, the pampered son who loved to binge and allegedly had a history of drug abuse, had been tipped to become the national vice-president of the BJP’s yuva morcha sometime soon.

That seemed a distant possibility tonight as Rahul, with a dented reputation, fought for his life at Delhi’s Apollo Hospital.

Many Mumbai BJP leaders who had seemed keen on having Rahul in the party were busy distancing themselves from him today.

“He isn’t a party functionary yet. He was Pramodji’s son, and that’s how we knew him. He was a private person and had his own group of friends,” a senior state BJP leader said.

His friends said Rahul had always lived life on the fast lane. “He is fond of his drink and he loves to party like any young man of his age,” a well-known socialite said. “But he is seen more at film parties.” He also smoked heavily.

“Rahul is close to many Bollywood people. He played an important role in mobilising actors’ support for the BJP in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. He was fascinated by films and television,” a Mumbai BJP functionary said.

Rahul ran a small TV production company, called Integral Productions, with his mother Rekha. It generated controversy when Pramod was information and broadcasting minister in the Vajpayee cabinet.

The company had allegedly been given a contract by Prasar Bharati that caused losses to Doordarshan. Rahul owed Rs 8.75 crore to Prasar, most of which he had to pay back.

Never too academically inclined, Rahul got a commercial pilot’s licence from Indore and later trained in the US. He worked with Jet Airways for a while till media reports about Pramod’s hand in his appointment led him to resign.

Many BJP leaders and Rahul’s Bollywood friends are ready to admit in private that he had a history of drug abuse. “Pramodji sent him to London a couple of years ago for a drug rehab programme. There used to be tremendous tension in the family because of this. There had even been incidents of violence at home,” said a source close to BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Rahul’s uncle.

The Mahajans’ family physician, Dr Nirmal Surya, however, said Rahul was sent to London for treatment of meningitis. “He used to feel a little depressed and uncomfortable even after his treatment. This worsened after his father’s death. So he was on anti-depressants,” he said over the phone from Delhi.

After his return from London, Rahul began taking an interest in politics. He set off a buzz by walking in at the recent BJP national executive.

Many in Pramod’s inner circle, however, had advised Rahul against harbouring political ambitions.

“He just wasn’t the type. He probably saw his prospects in politics through his father’s protected prism. But when I met him four days ago, I told him he should think again,” a senior leader said.

“Pramodji was many things but he had the untiring drive of a born politician. Rahul is too soft, too protected, and, I dare say, much too spoilt for a career in politics.”