A.P.J. Sheikh Salim, the grand nephew of the late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, joined the BJP in New Delhi on Monday in the presence of party president Amit Shah.
Mr. Salim, the grandson of former President’s elder brother A.P.J. Marakaiyer, describes himself as a social activist and is involved in activities around Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
“I wanted to join the party last year as well and had discussed it with my grand uncle. He was in favour of my joining but somehow I could not hit upon the right moment to do so,” Mr Salim told The Hindu . “This time, everything was optimum for my joining,” he said. He added that he had not made up his mind whether he would contest the 2016 Assembly polls in the State. “The party will decide whether or not they want me to contest,” he said.
He added that he had wanted to take forward his grand uncle’s idea of “Vision 2020” and felt that the BJP was the only party that could deliver on that. “My grand uncle also felt that the present government was committed to those ideals,” he added.
Party sources said that Mr Salim, who was living with Kalam at his official Rajaji Road bungalow till the latter’s death, had expressed an interest to East Delhi MP Mahesh Giri who had then pursued matters within. Mr Giri was also instrumental in getting the name of Aurangzeb Road changed to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Road. The BJP has a negligible presence in Tamil Nadu, with one MP, Pon Radhakrishnan, from Kanyakumari.
