He did what no one else in his party had done before. BJP MP Varun Gandhi, on Wednesday, reached out to old party workers, extended an helping hand to them, comforted them with words of assurance and gave them respect — respect that had eluded them ever since they turned old and inactive.

When he arrived in Lucknow on Wednesday, Varun Gandhi drove straight from the airport to Manpur village in Bakshi ka Talab on the outskirts of Lucknow to meet Ram Kumar Singh Kaka, an 85-year-old BJP worker who had worked with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee when the latter contested his first election from Balrampur in 1957. The BJP MP met the veteran party worker, learnt about his prevailing condition and promised all help to him. “You are the pillars of the party and we need you guidance always,” he told the party worker whose emotions flowed with his tears. The old man was overwhelmed to find the young BJP MP at his doorstep.

Later , talking to reporters at the party headquarters, Mr Gandhi said that in the journey of Jan Sangh and BJP, spanning five decades, innumerable party workers had sacrificed their lives to build up the party.

“There are thousands who have given a lifetime and have got nothing in return. Many of them are financially weak and ailing. I have decided that I will meet such old party workers in every district where I go. It is time for the youth to acknowledge the contribution of the elders and give them some care,” he said. Mr Gandhi said that a party was not designed to capture power. “It is an extended family and we may fight in good times but a family should stick together in adverse conditions. We should win confidence of people, the votes will follow,” he said.