Though Basu himself had reiterated that he would like to relinquish office, the party was yet to take a final decision on his plea. "He will continue to do whatever he can for the party's sake till he is alive," he told newsmen here.

He, however, added that Basu was 86 and had not been keeping well.

Meanwhile, Basu when asked in Calcutta about his retirement plans, said "Why not ? I am ageing. I am also not keeping well."

Asked who would take over from him, he said "Our party has a democratic structure. Whatever decision is taken by the party would be final and we will abide by that. There is no scope for individual opinion."

On the NDA government which would be sworn in on Wednesday, Surjeet felt that the "disparate and conflicting aims" of the BJP's allies would come into play as soon as the RSS-VHP startedmaking "covert" efforts to pursue their Hindutva agenda.

He pointed out that major allies like the TDP and DMK were opposed to the Hindutva agenda. But if the RSS pushed forward its agenda, it would affect the allies which had lent credibility to the BJP, he said.

Surjeet reiterated the need for unity among Left and secular forces who had substantial number of seats in the Lok Sabha. He expressed confidence that there would be a regrouping of these forces.

Explaining why the NDA got a majority, he said that the failure to form an alternative government after the Vajpayee government's fall, the Kargil issue and the expansion of the NDA were some of the factors responsible. Another factor was that the Congress focussed on one-party rule.