Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on Friday denied there was any leadership crisis in the Bharatiya Janata Party and accused the media of creating controversies.

"Sometimes I feel like laughing about how controversies are made without any basis. I didn't comment and I don't want to comment, make any statement. There is absolutely nothing in it," he said before boarding a flight to Mumbai en route to his 12-day tour of USA and Britain.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee statement on Wednesday that Advani would lead the BJP into the next general election had led to much speculation in the media about the prime minister making way for his deputy.

Since prime minister's statement followed close on the heels of a comment by BJP chief about the party projecting both Vajpayee and Advani on an equal footing in the run-up to the next general election, it was seen as a sign of a growing rift between the BJP's two seniormost leaders.

"My respect for newspapers has gone down that much," Advani said.

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What do you think about the story? Read what others have to say: Number of User Comments: 4 Sub: Leadership Crisis Very true, Mr. Advani, there is no leadership crisis in BJP, as since long, you have been vying for Atalji's chair. But the question of ... Posted by Raphael Sebastian Sub: Complimentarity, not conflict is required in BJP leadership What is going on In BJP do not reflect a good image of two stalwart statesmen of India. Vajpayee most of the time in his ... Posted by pradip Sub: leadership crisis Their is no crisis of leadership but power hungry. Posted by Basavaiah Sub: Advani on BJP leadership Come on, give us a break. Is Venkaiah Naidu's proclivity to open his mouth once too often, mostly out of turn, a media creation? ... Posted by Milton D\'Silva