AAP not a factor at the national level: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Mar 16:

does not see the Aam Admi Party (

) as a factor at the national level in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Accusing it of "running away" from governance in Delhi, the Congress leader said that the new party had got an opportunity to run Delhi for which the Congress had given full support.

"They did not solve any of the problems they said they would solve. Frankly, they ran away," he said today.

"It is one thing to make large statements-that we will do this and we will do that. It is totally different to actually run a government and they found that out. I don't see the achievements of the AAP government in Delhi," Gandhi said.

To a question whether he considers AAP to be a factor in the polls, he said, "at the national I don't think so."

I share PM, Sonia's apology over 1984 riots: Rahul

Seeking to control damage resulting from his earlier comments on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said that he completely shared the sentiments of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had apologised and the party President Sonia Gandhi, who had expressed regrets.

He was asked by PTI during an interview as to why he, as the Congress party's Vice President, had hesitated during a TV interview some weeks ago to apologise for the riots which followed the assassination of his grandmother and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984.

Gandhi replied, "The Prime Minister of the UPA has apologised and the President of the Congress party (has) expressed regrets. I share their sentiments completely."

During the TV interview when he was asked why he would not apologise for the riots, he had confined himself to saying, "innocent people died in 1984 and innocent people dying is a horrible thing and should not happen."

His failure then to apologise for the riots had touched off a controversy with BJP, Akali Dal and commentators attacking him.

Will marry when I find the right girl: Rahul

Rahul Gandhi's marriage plans have been a perennial topic of speculation but he says he would tie the knot only when he finds the "right girl".

"This is a question that comes all the time, all the time. Right now I am engaged in fighting the elections. Unfortunately I have not been focused on private life," he replied when asked during an interview with PTI as to when he intended to get married.

"Is it two years from now, one year from now?" he was asked.

"When I find the right girl," said the 43-year-old Gandhi scion.

Question: That means you have not found the right girl?

Rahul: When I find the right girl, I will get married. The Congress Vice President, a pet lover, was asked about his other hobbies. He replied to say that he read quite a bit, "too much non-fiction" and "too much about things related to my work" --history, geography, political affairs...a lot about the middle east, Afghanistan, Pakistan and China. Gandhi said he did not watch as many Hindi movies as his sister Priyanka does. But he came away disappointed often with the mainstream movies of Hollywood. He has no favourite actors or actresses. "I appreciate a good performance."

PTI