New Delhi: Reacting sharply to BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Yashwant Sinha's description of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "Shikhandi," Congress today (Sep 5, 2004) said the expression undermines the dignity of the office of Prime Minister and asked whether former Premier A B Vajpayee endorses the view.

"We strongly condemn the unwarranted description by Sinha of Manmohan Singh. The expression undermine the dignity of the office of Prime Minister," party spokesman Anand Sharma said.

He said the party would like to know whether Vajpayee endorses Sinha's statement.

Sharma said the Former Union Minister's statement represent the "class, character and political culture of the BJP and their perverse mindset".

The BJP, he said has not reconciled to their rejection by the people in the recent Lok Sabha polls and "intemperate utterances are an expression of their frustrations".

He charged that the BJP leaders with lowering the level of the political debate even during the Lok Sabha polls and dragging it to a gutter level.

"The detasteful campaign was unacceptable to the people of India who not only rejected it but defeated those who were resorted to a lower level campaign," Sharma said.

Sinha called Manmohan Singh a "puppet" Prime Minister who is trying to "finish off" the BJP under the dictates of an "Italian", an obvious reference to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government is headed by a "shikhandi" who is trying to implement the decision of the Italian to finish off the BJP," Sinha said yesterday (Sep 4, 2004).