PM says he does not regret his remarks against Advani

GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says he does not regret having hit back at L K Advani since the BJP leader has been indulging in "mudslinging" for the last five years and at the same time did not want to "prolong this match" after his reply to charges.

Singh asserted that he replied to the constant taunts of Advani calling him a 'nikamma' (incompetent) Prime Minister "subservient" to Sonia Gandhi and the "weakest" Prime Minister as he owed it to the country after being declared Congress' prime ministerial candidate.

76-year-old Singh also said that the issue on whether he or Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister if the UPA returned to power is "quite clear" given the views of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul himself.

Asked if he regretted his remarks against Advani as the BJP leader has said he was hurt by some of his comments, Singh said, "No, I don't regret because Mr Advani has been mudslinging for the last five years against me."

Singh said he had been "hurt" by the BJP leader's accusation and now Advani "had no business" to complain.

"Whatever I have to say I have said it already. I don't want to prolong this match and dialogue," Singh told reporters when asked to comment on the recent verbal duel with Advani.

An unusually combative Singh had hit back at Advani last Monday saying the "iron man" had quickly melted during the Kandahar hijack crisis and was weeping in a corner when Babri mosque was demolished.