Mumbai: Scotching speculation over his retirement from active politics, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Jun 24, 2004) said his surprise remarks last night (Jun 23, 2004) indicating such a course were made in "jest".

Addressing the concluding session of the three-day BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) National Executive, he said his remarks in Marathi had raised a furore and that they were "made in jest".

Vajpayee also asserted that there was "no power struggle" within the party. "Kursi ki ladai nahin hai", he said.