Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani will lead the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next general election, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said on Wednesday.

Vajpayee's remarks took many party leaders by surprise, who said the prime minister remains their 'undisputed leader'.

His remarks came in the midst of a controversy over his recent interview to German daily Der Spiegel saying he will 'retire' if his peace efforts with Pakistan fail. On Monday, BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu had kicked up another storm saying the party will project both Vajpayee and Advani during the next general election.

"A self-confident nation and a self-confident party. Neither tired, nor retired. The party will march to victory under the leadership of Advani," Vajpayee said, apparently referring to his interview and Naidu's statement.

He made these remarks at a gathering of his partymen brought by Naidu to felicitate him on his 'successful' foreign trip at his residence.

A surprised Naidu immediately got up and said, "We want to be under your leadership. You are not only the leader of the BJP, the NDA, India but also Venkaiah and even Advani."

Naidu later explained to reporters, "He (Advani) will be our Sarathi (charioteer)."

Advani, however, declined to comment on Vajpayee's remarks.

A visibly relaxed Vajpayee, who moved to the lawns, asked journalists present, "What are you going to write?" When told they enjoyed his speech, he shot back, "I have that much satisfaction." 

Party general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "The prime minister is the undisputed leader. He is our prime minister and he will be our prime minister in future too.

"He (Vajpayee) has not said anything surprising.  Advani had commanded the elections and formulated the strategy. The prime Minister's indications were towards this."

Referring to his visit to Germany, Russia and France during which he held talks with US President George Bush among other world leaders, Vajpayee told the party workers that the international community's outlook towards India had witnessed a drastic change since Pokhran-II.

"Those who used to avoid us after the nuke tests, now sit and dine with us," he said in an apparent reference to Bush who sat next to Vajpayee during a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladmir Putin at St Petersburg last week.