By election defeat no reflection on government, party: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dismissed suggestions that the Congress party's defeat in the Lok Sabha by election is a referendum or a reflection on his government's performance and the Congress party.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dismissed suggestions that the Congress party's defeat in the Lok Sabha by election is a referendum or a reflection on his government's performance and the Congress party.

"One by election in a particular part of the country cannot be considered a reflection on the performance of my government or Congress party," he told reporters.

He was replying to a question by a reporter who said some people were saying that the defeat in Hisar was a referendum against his government and party.

Opposition parties have called Tuesday's bye election rout of the Congress as a vote against the government in the context of various scams and even a referendum against the government on corruption.

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