Forget if I had been rude to you: Pranab Mukherjee to media

NEW DELHI: Set to become the next President, Pranab Mukherjee today went reached out to mediapersons, asking them to forget instances when he may have been rude to them.

"Sometimes, I candidly say that I have been rude. If I have hurt anybody, please forget it. Please keep it in mind it was never intentional," Mukherjee said in an informal chat with reporters here.

The UPA Presidential nominee also said he was faced with a dilemma during the interaction as despite being a representative of the government he was unable to speak on behalf of the government or the party.

"Everytime I interacted with you, I had an identity either as a spokesman of the party or on behalf of the government during my tenure as Defence Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister," he said.

"At this time, being a representative of the government, I cannot speak on behalf of the government or the party," he said.

Mukherjee said he was looking forward to speak to the media after the start of his new innings.