Former president APJ Abdul Kalam's grand nephew APJ Sheikh Salim, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party recently, quit the party today.


Syed Ibrahim was reportedly upset with the BJP-led Central government for not making Kalam's Delhi bungalow a memorial and allotting it to an Union minister.


Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma was allotted Kalam's bungalow in Lutyens' Delhi. The former president's house at 10 Rajaji Marg was allotted to Sharma after Kalam's family members vacated it on October 18.


Defending the allotment of Kalam's bungalow to Sharma, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had said the allocation was made as per "rules and procedures" of the government. "All our ministers have been allocated government accommodation one after another. Only Mahesh Sharma could not be allocated. Earlier, 7 Tyagraj Marg was allotted to him but the occupant that time did not vacate the bungalow," he said.


"Now the 10 Rajaji Marg bungalow, which has become vacant, has been allocated to Sharma as per rules and procedures on the basis of vacation by former President Kalam's staff," he said.