Former agriculture minister Ajit Singh has denied reports that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had asked him to tender his resignation well before the Cabinet reshuffle on May 24,2003.

Speaking to rediff.com at his residence in New Delhi, Singh said that he had decided to tender his resignation on his own. "Let me put it on record that prime minister Vajpayee had neither asked me in person or on phone to put in my papers," Singh said.

When asked the reason for his resignation, he said, "I had started reading stories in newspapers that I was likely to be shifted from the agriculture ministry. Then there were others groups in Bharatiya Janata Party that did not want me to continue in the ministry for a variety of reasons. They were not happy with me because I used to take up the issues relating to the benefits to the farmers and especially the farmers who grew sugarcane."

Singh said he wants to be the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh but not at this juncture. "I am political man and I have political ambitions. If my ambition is being realised through wrong actions then tell me," he said.

Asked if the Mayawati government would fall following the withdrawal of support by Rashtriya Lok Dal, Singh said that the numbers at the moment favoured Mayawati.

"The strength of the government would have to be tested on the floor of the house. I doubt if the BJP would let an alternative government to be formed in the state. If the government falls they might impose the President's rule in the state," he added.

Talking about the general election he said he doubted the BJP would take the risk of going in for polls earlier then scheduled.

"The man in the chair does not want to take the risk of going in early for elections. He would like to rule till the last day. It is another matter that if they manage to give an impressive performance in the Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh then they could think about it. But this looks a remote possibility at the moment," he said.