IANS

Ranchi, Nov 2:  With his foot firmly in the mouth, UPA's man in Jharkhand, chief minister Madhu Koda, got just a wee bit confused at a function to mark the 23rd death anniversary of late prime minister Indira Gandhi by paying tribute to her daughter-in-law and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi instead.

"Sonia Gandhi sustained bullets in her body. She sacrificed her life for the country. We should follow in the footsteps of late Sonia Gandhi," an unmindful Koda said at the function organised by the Congress on Wednesday October 31, in commemoration of Indira Gandhi who was assassinated by her bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

While embarrassed United Progressive Alliance leaders said it was a 'slip of the tongue' by their chief minister, the opposition termed it a 'major blunder'.

"Koda is ruling the state with the blessing of Sonia Gandhi and he only remembers her name. He forgot he was paying tribute to Indira and not Sonia and he should apologise for it," said Ramesh Puskar, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.