CHENNAI: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam ’s grandnephew Sheikh Salim joined BJP in the presence of party chief Amit Shah at its central office in New Delhi on Monday.

A small time businessman, Salim came into prominence in July last during the burial service for Kalam in Rameshwaram when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the bereaved family members to offer his condolences, sources said.

Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president M Chakravarthy hailed Salim’s entry into the party saying, “it is a positive development which will enhance the image of the organization among minorities and strengthen it ahead of the assembly elections.”

According trade sources, Salim imports diapers and seashells from the United States.

