New Delhi, Aug 24 - Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was writing his resignation after the 2002 Gujarat riots but was physically prevented from doing so by his ministerial colleague Jaswant Singh who held his hand, claim two senior leaders.

While one of them, Jaswant Singh, who was expelled last week from the BJP for his book on Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, has gone public with the disclosure, the other preferred to remain anonymous.

In an interview to NDTV news channel, Jaswant Singh recalled: 'Pramod (Mahajan) was there. In the prime minister's parliament office... I don't remember the exact context. Pramod called me. Jaldi aaiye (come quickly), Jaswantji. When I went, I was told sambhaaliye, sambhaaliye, istifa de rahe hain (Please do something, he is going to quit).

'He (Vajpayee) had called his secretary. I told his secretary to go away and not come back. He sternly asked me kya kar rahe ho (what are you doing).

'Then he pulled a piece of paper and started writing the resignation by hand. I held his hand. I said Atalji aap mat kariye (please don't). Somehow I persuaded him. Later, I went to his house and we were able to defuse the situation.'

A senior BJP leader confirmed the claim.

'I was present in the room when Vajpayeeji, disturbed by the killings in Gujarat, started writing his resignation but was forced by Jaswant Singhji, me and some other colleagues not to take a hasty step,' the BJP leader told IANS on condition of anonymity for he preferred to avoid any further controversy on the matter.