Advani's views of live TV debate a 'political gimmick': Cong

Congress today dismissed as "political gimmick" BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani's challenge to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a live TV debate and ridiculed efforts at emulating US President Barack Obama through online campaigning.

Updated on: Mar 27, 2009, 22:20:21 IST

PTI | By HT Correspondent, New Delhi

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Congress today dismissed as "political gimmick" BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani's challenge to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a live TV debate and ridiculed efforts at emulating US President Barack Obama through online campaigning.

"It is a political gimmick," party general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters referring to Advani's views on a live TV debate with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

However, Singh said that he personally feels that the "bluff" of Advani be called by going in for such a debate as the Leader of the Opposition will be put in the dock.

At the same time, Singh maintained like party spokesman Anand Sharma that such debates do not take place in parliamentary democracy.

On online campaigning, Singh said Advani sought to emulate the US President but claimed the effort had been a failure as his website could enrol only 3,100 supporters in the last two years.

He claimed that similarly the 'friends of BJP' saw a backing of merely 250 supporters.

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