Saturday, December 31 2005 15:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Dismissing suggestions of infighting in the party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today (Dec 31, 2005) said Rajnath Singh's elevation as party chief was the unanimous choice of the leadership.

Naidu also said that there was no pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on L K Advani to step down as party president.

"Advani had decided to step down as party president but we requested him to stay on till the silver jubilee convention," Naidu said.

Seeking to put at rest the talk of infighting among the second rung leaders in the party, he said, "Rajnath Singh's choice as president was a unanimous decision of the party leadership."

On former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee referring to Advani and party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan as Ram and Lakhsman of the party, Naidu said, "For us party is Ram, and there is no dearth of Lakhsmans, whose role is to serve Ram."