Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (June 21, 2004) ruled out discussing the issue of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's removal, during the party's national executive meeting beginning here tomorrow.

"The Gujarat issue is over. We have discussed it in yesterday's Parliamentary Board meeting and the party president has said that the matter was over as of now", BJP national general secretary Pramod Mahajan told reporters ahead of the party's executive meeting.

He was asked whether removal of Modi would be discussed at the meeting after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee created a flutter by his critical remarks against Modi. "The Gujarat matter is over and whatever was discussed at the Parliamentary Board meeting had full consent of Vajpayee," Mahajan said.

"The party is not looking for 'scapegoats' for the its dismal performance in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections," he remarked.

When repeatedly asked whether Gujarat issue would not be taken up at all at the three-day meet, Mahajan said, "The Gujarat State party chief like his other counterparts would be presenting his assessment report of the general elections, that would be taken up for discussion."