Taking a dig at BJP leader L K Advani's suggestion that former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee be awarded the Bharat Ratna, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Saturday said the government will not be a party to the ex-premier's retirement from politics.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, the RJD leader said, "Vajpayee has not retired from politics."

He claimed that it was a ploy by Advani to make Vajpayee retire from politics.

To a question whether the CPM veteran Jyoti Basu should get Bharat Ratna, Prasad said, "Why not? He should get it."