'Inducted tea seller Modi into RSS as I saw him determined to work for poor'

Ambalal Koshti, the man who inducted Narendra Modi into the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), says the Prime Minister was very dedicated to working for the poor and marginalised sections of the society even during early days of his life.

"I inducted him into the Jan Sangh, because his ideology was nationalistic. He was very keen to work for the society, especially for the poor and Dalits," Koshti, who works as the media in-charge in BJP office in Gandhinagar, told ANI.

Koshti, who claims to know Modi since his childhood, said he met the PM when he used to sell tea at the Transport Office in Ahmedabad and was impressed with his ideology and knowledge.

He said: "Once when the bus fares were raised by Gujarat State Transport Corporation, I had organised a protest outside its office in Ahmednagar. This boy was passing through the protest venue. I called him. His ideology was identical to ours. He expressed his eagerness to work for us."

"One day I forcibly took him to my residence and gave him the membership of Jan Sangh, charging 25 paise as joining fee," recalled Koshti.

He said Modi was working at the State Transport office canteen then and had no place to live. "He was living in the state Transport Office canteen in Ahmedabad. I used to meet him after 'Shakhas' (RSS gathering) at canteen every day," he said.

Koshti had then arranged a place for Modi at the RSS office, also known as Hedgewar Bhawan in Ahmedabad.

He said: "I told him that he would have to do everything including the cleaning of the office. He worked in the RSS. Then he went into the Jan Sangh and now he is the Prime Minister of India for the second time," an elated Koshti said.