Saturday, December 25 2004 15:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gwalior: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Dec 25, 2004) sounded alarm bells for his baiters and said that his newfound aggression was to tell people he was "still around".

Celebrating his 80th birthday in Gwalior, Vajpayee said that he planned to do things he had not done so far in his chequered political career and would complete unfinished tasks in the New Year.

With a motley Gwalior audience regaling his poetry session, a vintage Vajpayee said that his birthday after the 1998 nuclear blast at Pokhran was his most cherished.

To a question how he had spent his life so far, Vajpayee responded in his trademark gesture suggesting it had been a smooth ride.

Asked about his newfound aggression in Parliament, the former Prime Minister said that it was to "tell people he was still around".

Virtually assuring Babulal Gaur, standing close, that he would continue to be Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister despite revocation of Uma Bharti's suspension from BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), he said "Who to baithe hain (she is in saddle).

Evading a direct reply to reported letter by over a dozen Madhya Pradesh MLAs to BJP President L K Advani demanding reinstatement of the firebrand leader in the state, Vajpayee said, "I don't look after letters and communication" of the party President and would enquire later.