K N Govindacharya, the Bharatiya Janata Party ideologue who was sent to political Siberia for calling Atal Bihari Vajpayee the party's mukhota (mask), says the country would "feel relieved" and "tensions will subside" if Sonia Gandhi refused to accept the prime minister's post.

"If she does not become the prime minister, the nation will feel relieved and tensions will subside," he told the media, reacting to reports that Sonia was reluctant to occupy the prime minister's office.

"There will be more respect for her in such a case," he said. Asked whether he favoured Dr Manmohan Singh for the post, he said, "I will react if his name comes up. But I am in principle not opposed to any senior leader other than Gandhi from becoming the prime minister."

Govindacharya said he had told the President that changes were necessary in the Constitution if it had shortcomings on the question whether a foreign-born person could occupy a top post.

Addressing a rally earlier, he had said Gandhi occupying the post of prime minister brought back "memories of colonial days" and that countrymen should observe the day she was sworn-in as "national humiliation day."