Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani's demand that Chief Minister Narendra Modi should take responsibility for the Gujarat riots and resign.

"I don't think it is needed," Vajpayee said in New Delhi.

Irani, Indian television's most famous bahu, had on Sunday threatened to go on hunger strike if Modi did not quit before December 25, Vajpayee's birthday.

She repeatedly took Vajpayee's name to criticise Modi, saying, "It is high time that Gujarat and Vajpayee got their pride and glory back, which they genuinely deserved..." She withdrew the demand in the evening.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said the part high command had summoned the actress.

"Smriti will meet party president L K Advani. He will talk to her. She is new to the party and doesn't have a proper understanding of its traditions," said Naidu.

"Secondly, the issue of Gujarat's governance is no longer relevant. Finally, every person in the party should know what their jurisdiction in the party is," he added.