Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he offered Khairy Jamaluddin a spot as his running mate for deputy president in the party elections last month.

However, he said, the former Umno Youth chief turned down the offer.

"Before the party elections, I gave him the opportunity to contest as deputy president because (former Umno acting deputy president) Hishammuddin Hussein decided to pull out from the race.

"That is why I made the offer but he decided he preferred to run for vice-president. Eventually, he contested for the presidential post,” Ahmad Zahid told reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat today.

Khairy, who is Rembau MP, had initially said he would run for vice-president, but decided to throw his name in for president at the eleventh hour.

Among those contested for deputy president was Mohamad Hassan, who is the Rembau Umno division chief. Mohamad went on to win the deputy president post.

Ahmad Zahid said after the elections, he again offered Khairy a position, this time as the BN secretary-general, which the latter turned down as well.

Before the announcement of the new party line-up, the Bagan Datuk MP offered Khairy the post of Umno information chief.

Once again, he said, Khairy turned it down.

"I didn't look into the reasons (why Khairy turned down the offers)," Ahmad Zahid said.

However, he said he believes Khairy probably has his own plans to assist in the rebuilding of Umno as well as in playing a constructive role as an opposition lawmaker.