Dharamsala, June 10 : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has rejected the offer of Samdhong Rinpoche, Tibetan prime minister-in-exile to step down from the post.

Rinpoche while talking to reporters in Dharamsala, said that a proposal was submitted to advance the prime minister''s election that was due in 2011, but it was disapproved.

"That was the proposal which was discussed with the Dalai Lama and after due consideration he thought that it is not very good for our opponents particularly the PRC authorities may not take it in a positive way and there may be a negative message to the people inside Tibet so therefore we have dropped this idea," he added.

Rimpoche also said that the proposal was submitted so that new comers have an opportunity to work. He said that he has worked for eight years and so there was not much scope for reforms.

Ever since the Dalai Lama and his followers fled from Tibet in 1959, they have found a new haven to preserve their unique faith, culture and identity at Dharamsala, which in turn has earned it self the name ''Little Tibet''.

In March, Tibet''s self-exiled spiritual leader did lament that Tibet from where he fled 50 years ago had become a ''hell on earth'' on account of repressive rule from Beijing. (ANI)