New Delhi: Former BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president M Venkaiah Naidu has said he had wanted Atal Bihari Vajpayee to become the President but he had turned down the proposal.

"It was a matter of pride for the BJP that one of its leaders had become the Prime Minister of India.

"It would have been our great fortune if one of our leaders could adorn the highest office in the country. And that leader could not have been anyone but Vajpayee," Naidu told Rajat Sharma's 'Aap ki Adalat' programme on India TV channel to be telecast tomorrow (Oct 31, 2004).

Asked whether Vajpayee had done the "right thing by rejecting his proposal", he said "well whatever decision he made was the right decision", according to a press release issued by the channel.

Naidu evaded a direct reply when asked whether the proposal had been mooted as "part of a well-thought out strategy to ease Vajpayee out of political scene and pave the way for Advani's coronation" as the Prime Minister.

He said if Vajpayee had disliked his proposal, he would not have made him a Minister in his Government or the party president later.