Sunday, May 22 2005 15:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: As the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government is completing its first year in office today (May 22, 2005), Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the Congress' performance was politically "excellent" during its first year as a coalition leader.

"I feel politically we have done excellent. The perfect combination between the head of the Government (Manmohan Singh) and the UPA coordination committee leader (Sonia Gandhi) that makes a clear impact in the contemporary political scenario," Mukherjee told NDTV.

"From the political management point of view, I am quite happy, in addition to the overall performance. We were able to defuse tension, caste and communal conflicts, which marred the Indian political scenario for sometime," he said.

He said the Congress was accustomed to rule the country with "clear and absolute" majority in the past and the party leading a coalition was "something new."

Mukherjee said he saw no reason to disagree with the Prime Minister's reported assessment of his Government's performance by giving 6 marks out of 10. "I cannot disagree with the PM, therefore let us settle for the score given by him."

When asked whether he committed a flip-flop in handling the affidavit given in the Supreme Court regarding Defence deals, Mukherjee said "anyone can check the (contents) of affidavit and see whether there was any clean chit or not."

"If someone say that mentioning in the affidavit that certain cases have been referred to CBI for investigation...if that is considered as a clean chit, I have nothing to say," he said adding the Phukan Commission report was tabled in the House when the Speaker directed to do so.

"So, where is the flip flop?" he asked.

Mukherjee said he was not nurturing any aspirations for becoming Prime Minister in the future.

"To be a Prime Minister, somebody should have certain qualities like broad mass base and wide acceptability. I lack these two," he said adding, "therefore, you will never see me as one."

Being a "practical man," the Defence Minister said, "even living in the northern part of the country, I cannot articulate adequately well in Hindi. It is very difficult for a person like him to be a Prime Minister."