Manmohan Singh talks about compromises that helped UPA run its governance

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that the Congress had proved that it can successfully run a coalition government and though some compromises had to be made in the past 10 years of UPA rule they were in "peripheral areas".

Answering a query whether his image has taken a beating since the time he took over as UPA government head in 2004, he said: "What you think of me or what the country thinks of me I cannot speculate, but as I mentioned earlier I have tried to serve my country with the greatest sense of dedication and commitment.

"When I became PM the general perception was the Congress party has never been able to run a coalition government. The Congress' ability to run a coalition government had to be tested and we showed that the Congress party can successfully manage the coalition to complete not one but two terms.

"In the process there have been some compromises, but I can assure you the compromises relate to peripheral areas, they do not in any way affect our ability to deal with national problems with the objectivity that is necessary."