Gaya, May 31: The “estranged” scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Varun Gandhi, performed pinddaan ritual for the salvation of his ancestor’s soul at the famous Vishnupad temple here today.

Varun is the first from the “illustrious” genealogy to per-form the typical Hindu ritual.

No worker from the BJP or the Sangh Parivar greeted the Pilibhit MP when the latter landed at the Gaya international airport in a chartered flight at 8am. The priest, Ramshekhar Pandey, and other Gayawal Pandas escorted Varun to the pinddaan venue amid tight security arrangements.

Varun’s ritualistic venture in proverbial isolation from the saffron outfit that is a part of the Bihar’s ruling dispensation reminded how chief minister Nitish Kumar has demanded legal action against him in the wake of the young Gandhi lacing his speech with strident communal overtones while campaigning during 2009 general elections.

“My clear cut opinion is that legal action should be initiated against Varun,” Nitish had said, joining the chorus with the Congress, Left and other non-BJP parties.

Although Nitish did not announce it publicly, he gave a clear message to the BJP high command to keep Varun along with Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi out of Bihar. It’s not surprising then that both Varun and Modi have never campaigned in the state.

State BJP leaders were tightlipped on Varun’s visit. “It was purely a personal visit. We aren’t supposed to comment on such a personal visit for spiritual purpose,” said a senior BJP leader, pleading anonymity despite the statement being innocuous.

Gaya, which attracts Hindus from far and wide for performing the pinddaan rituals, has traditionally been the stronghold the saffron outfit. BJP urban development minister Prem Kumar represents the seat in the Assembly. He was Gaya MLA even during the Lalu-Rabri regime.

Sources in the BJP said: “Even a hint of the BJP workers courting Varun might have enraged the chief minister, aggravating the crisis in the NDA in the state.”

“Why should we do something to cause bad blood in our relationship which is already under strains of late,” said another BJP leader.

Away from the glare of the politicos, Varun performed the ritual for five hours from 8.45am to 1.40pm.

The pandas revealed that Varun wanted the salvation of the soul of many of his illustrious ancestors who died “prematurely” or “accidentally” while serving the nation.