Weak defence against corruption charge, attack on Narendra Modi and a desire not to be the PM for another term marked Dr Manmohan Singh’s last press conference

The Prime Minister accepted failure to check unemployment and inflation in the last press conference of his tenure as PM. "I am concerned that we have not been as successful as we need to be in generating employment in the manufacturing sector. This is an aspect of performance which we are working hard to correct," he told the media. He pointed that inflation had been difficult to control due to rising commodity prices and energy prices in the international market. These were reasons beyond the control of the Indian government.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared that he will step down after the next Lok Sabha election. "In a few months time, after the general election, I will hand the baton over to a new Prime Minister," Manmohan Singh told the media. "Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be nominated as the Prime Ministerial candidate, and I hope our party will take that decision at the appropriate time," he added.

The Prime Minister also said that it would be disastrous for the country if Narendra Modi were to become the next Prime Minister. He added that he was fully confident that the next Prime Minister, after the Lok Sabha election, will also be from the Congress-led UPA coalition.

On the performance of the Indian economy during the time he was the Prime Minister, he said, “The rate of growth achieved in the last nine years of UPA rule "is the highest in any nine year period." He also claimed that that the growth process was made more inclusive than ever. It is another matter that the Congress Party was completely routed in the last four Assembly elections.

On the growth versus inflation issue affecting the common man, he said "We have also not been as successful in controlling persistent inflation as we would have wished," he said. "This is primarily because food inflation has increased. However, we should remember that our inclusive policies have put more money in the hands of the weaker sections.”

"To keep food prices in control, we need to increase supplies and also improve marketing arrangements and logistics. This is especially important for items which are perishable such as fruits and vegetables," he added. PDS foodgrain prices have not been increased since 2003.

On the issue of accelerated policy-led growth, the Prime Minister said: "Reform is not an event it is a process. We will continue to push forward the cause of reform."

On the issues of corruption in coal block allocations and 2G spectrum allocations, all the PM said that these related to the UPA-I government and the UPA-II government had been in place after renewing its mandate with the electorate.

To a question if he had ever felt like putting in his papers out of frustration, he said: "I never felt like resigning at any time. I have enjoyed doing my work. I have tried to do my work with all honesty, with all sense of integrity without regard for fear or favour."

The PM claimed that he would come out unscathed when history is written about this period.