But it is the daughters-in-law and nieces that are Vajpayee's biggest fans. "If he falls short of gifts for us, he holds a lottery of sorts and gives it to whoever's name is picked," says Shobha explaining the pradhan mantri's modus operandi. "I am fond of collecting autographs," adds a giggly Vinita, "After my marriage when I requested him for one, he asked me, Kya mein kuch hoon? (Am I somebody?)"

Family members say Vajpayee has different personalities for the public and in private. "He has a great sense of humour and is very friendly with the kids in the family," says Navin Vajpayee, the son of Vajpayee's elder brother Prem.

Navin, who runs a scientific store with his younger brother Deepak, recalls one summer vacation when Vajpayee came to New Delhi station to receive them. "He was prominent in politics while we were a middle class family from Bilaspur," he recalls, explaining how his father sent his elder brother to Vajpayee's house to find out if he was home, while the rest of the family waited in the waiting room.

On hearing about their arrival, Vajpayee rushed to the station. "We were carrying a matka of water and felt embarrassed to carry it in the taxi but chote chachaji himself carried it for us. He told us that fridge water was nothing compared to the coolness of matka water," remembers Navin.

Though their ration cards were made out during one of their holidays with Vajpayee, Navin maintains that chote chachanever tried to draw any one of them into politics. Among all of Vajpayee's relatives only three are associated with politics. Elder brother Suda's daughter Karuna Shukle is a MLA from Raipur; Anoop Mishra was a BJP MLA in the Madhya Pradesh assembly till he lost the last election; and Deepak Vajpayee is a BJP official in Gwalior.

But that has hardly stopped Urmila Mishra's family from plunging into party work. With BJP flags popping out of nearly every cupboard in the house, the family was busy campaigning for Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya -- Madhavrao Scindia's rival -- in February. "My blood pressure does not return to normal till I know the children's exam results and the election results," adds Shobha, summing the mood in the household.

Their proximity to Vajpayee brings many a favour-seeker to their door. Most with requests for a passport, others asking for admissions at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. "We put in a word for them and leave it to him," says Urmila Mishra. Yet, family members say they resist taking advantage of Vajpayee's position. Vajpayee reportedly did nothing to stop brother Prem's transfer during the first non-Congress government in the state. Even when Arif Baig, then a BJP member, was the minister in charge.

"When I did not have a tap in my house, he has even fetched water from outside," adds Vimala Mishra, stressing on her brother's humility. Vajpayee is known to have cycled through the streets of Gwalior in 1971 when he was an MP and president of the Jan Sangh. On the premise that he was first a citizen of Gwalior, Vajpayee has also been spotted many times riding pillion on Anoop's motorbike. "He always referred to my Yezdi as my ghoda," says Anoop pointing at a framed black and white picture of Vajpayee and himself on his bike.

His sisters say Vajpayee was never interested in marriage. "His interests were books, verse and politics, and since his disinterest was so evident we stopped bothering him," adds Vimala.

Vajpayee lives in Delhi with the Kauls, friends of his family from Gwalior. Mrs Kaul and her daughter -- whose husband Ranjan Bhattacharya can often be spotted at the prime minister's side -- have been his companions for many years. Vajpayee is known to be particularly fond of the Bhattacharyas's little daughter Neha whom the newspapers refer to as 'his foster grand-daughter'.

Family members say they make it a point to visit Vajpayee whenever they visit Delhi. And although he occasionally gets confused about the grandchildren's names, Vajpayee is known to get upset if his relatives visit Delhi without looking him up.