Mumbai: A day after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sprang a surprise by virtually announcing his retirement from active politics, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jun 24, 2004) asserted that he remained the party's "tallest leader" and there was no need to draw an inference from what he had said.

"He (Vajpayee) has his own style. There is no need to draw any inference. He remains the tallest leader of the party," BJP vice-president and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

Naqvi said all decisions in the party are taken collectively and Vajpayee heads the party's collective leadership.

Addressing party activists last evening (Jun 23, 2004), Vajpayee said in Marathi "Aata bari nako. Pushkal jhale" (No fresh term for me. Enough is enough).

The former Prime Minister and the NDA (national democratic Alliance) chairman was responding to slogans from the audience "Agli bari, Atal Bihari" (Next time, Atal Bihari).