PTI

Puducherry, Mar 25: Joining issues with BJP leader LK Advani, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, took potshots at him saying prime minister Manmohan Singh was not weak as he had not "buckled" to terrorists like it happened during the Kandahar hijack episode.

General election 2009"He (Singh) has achieved a hell of a lot. He has kept the country faster than it has ever grown. He has brought massive presure on our neighbour after the Mumbai attack and he has given us a strategic deal (with the US) which the previous government had not done," he told a press conference here.

Asked about Advani's oft-repeated criticism of Singh as a weak prime minister, he said Singh had shown tremendous grit and determination.

"Let us not go back very far. During the (negotiations on) US deal, the Prime Minister showed tremendous grit, will and toughness.

"These are easy things to say. If he is a weak prime minister he did not buckle in front of terrorists. Didn't do a Kandahar. He has achieved a lot for the country. I do not think he is weak. He has full support of younsters like me," Gandhi said.

He was apparently referring to the NDA Government's action in swapping terrorists for release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines aircrat.

When a questioner asked him to compare Advani with the prime minister, he said he did not want to make statements and pronounced judgements about Advani "who is a senior leader" but he would definitely speak about Singh.