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It was probably the most shocking event of the year. Fifteen years after Rajiv Gandhi was killed by the LTTE in Tamil Nadu, threatening to end Nehru-Gandhi dynasty's hold over the Congress, country's second biggest political organization, the Bhartiya Janata Party, lost one of the most charismatic leaders who could win elections on his own.

Suave charmer Pramod Mahajan, who used to call himself PM (his initials) material, fell to his own brother's bullets in a family feud.

While Pravin Mahajan, who cited humiliation and grew jealous of his brother's growing stature, is languishing in jail, Rahul, son of the late BJP leader, got embroiled in a high-profile drug saga that all but killed whatever chances of his political coronation, post Pramod's demise.

Pramod's loss could not have come at a worse time for the BJP which was fighting battles on several fronts: Jinnah, RSS and intra-party feuds.

Pramod Mahajan, a master strategist, fundraiser and election manager of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who succumbed to his multiple bullet wounds after 12 days, was given a tearful adieu on May 4.

The 56-year-old politician, a member of the BJP's 'Gen Next' and one who many thought had the potential to lead the party, died of complications developed in the last four days at the PD Hinduja Hospital where a team of surgeons battled to save him since the near fatal shooting on April 22.

That Saturday morning, Pravin Mahajan, 46, walked into the two-bedroom flat of his famous brother at Purna Godavari Apartments in south Mumbai's Worli area and pumped three bullets into Pramod Mahajan from close range from a .32 Belgian pistol in a fit of rage.

He later calmly told the police that he had shot the BJP general secretary to avenge his frequent humiliation. Police said Pravin failed to empty all the nine bullets because the fourth one got jammed - and thus Pramod Mahajan survived for 12 days.