Bhuntar (Kullu): In significant comments on the eve of the crucial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board meeting tomorrow, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (June 19, 2004) appeared to have piped down a bit on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying the issue of his removal is now a "thing of the past".

"That has become an issue of the past. Look at the new year and the coming Assembly elections and we have to face them," he told reporters here when asked whether he still favoured Modi's removal.

He was talking to reporters before leaving for Delhi ending his week-long vacation.