GUWAHATI - Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Sunday said he did not regret about his recent comments about senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, as it was the latter who has engaged into using such a mud-slinging for five years against him.

“No. I don’t regret anything because Mr. Advani has been mudslinging for the last 5 years against me. He has been saying I am a Nikamma (useless) PM, subservient to Sonia Gandhi that I am the weakest PM. I did not reply to any of these things. But now that the Congress party has declared me prime ministerial candidate, I owe it to the country to reply to this charge that I am the weakest PM, subservient to Mrs. Gandhi and that everything I do, I have to (get it) cleared with 10 Janpath. These are charges which have hurt me but I have never said anything. Mr. Advani has no business to complain,” said Dr. Singh while talking to NDTV.

“He started it. He’s been at it for last 5 years and it’s only now that I have replied to that sort of mudslinging,” Dr. Singh added.

Replying to hypothetical question about a situation where Left Front gains a commanding position to enable the UPA to form government but scrapping of Nuke-deal is set as a pre-condition, Manmohan Singh said: “Well… I hope that stage will not arise.” (ANI)