NEW DELHI: Rajnath Singh, who recently stepped down from the post of BJP President, has denied that the RSS had any role to play in the selection of Nitin Gadkari as his successor.

Dismissing the contention that Gadkari was chosen because of his proximity to the Sangh, Singh said, "What does the RSS have to do with the Bharatiya Janata Party? As far as I understand the RSS, it does not grant wishes to people. It does not believe in patronising people." Emphasisng that the RSS had no role to play in his decisions as the BJP president, he said that there was not a "single suggestion" from the RSS either while constituting the national council or choosing any office bearers.

But he did concede that the RSS gives its suggestions on several matters and stressed that these should not be taken lightly.

"The RSS is a social organisation and does give its suggestions as it has many informed members who are actively involved in social work," he told News 24 channel in an interview.

Asked if the BJP had a choice of accepting or rejecting the suggestions, he said,"RSS suggestions should be taken seriously.

They cannot be taken lightly." When queried if he was feeling left out as other party colleagues like Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitly have been at important positions, he said he was interested in only serving the party.

"A post may appear to be a big deal to some but for me it has never been important in politics. No senior leader of our party can say that I have ever asked for a post." On Mr L K Advani's position in the party, Mr Singh said he was the tallest leader of the party. "Why should he retire, he has no reason to retire." Asked about party leader Arun Shourie criticising his leadership and calling him "humpty dumpty", Mr Singh said Mr Shourie was a renowned journalist and may have written something to that effect.

"But it not necessary that whatever a journalist writes is true." On BJP competing with the youth brigade of the Congress, Mr Singh said his party may not boast too many "sons of famous fathers" but it also has a strong youth cadre.

"You people pay more attention to sons of famous fathers. There are not too many such youngsters in our party, so there is less attention drawn. But if this party did not have enough young people, how could it have become such a large party?" he asked.