Arvind Kejriwal (centre) with people as he visits the river Ganges in Varanasi on March 25
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's opinion of Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has not changed in the last two months.
In January, Mr Shinde had called Mr Kejriwal a "yeda mukhyamantri" which in Marathi means "mad chief minister."
Today, the minister asserted that he means what he says. Asked by this reporter if he still holds his controversial view of the AAP chief, Mr Shinde shrugged and said, "Once I have said something, it is said. I don't want to repeat, but the country is watching him."
On a scorcher of a day that included a padyatra in extreme heat, the filing of nomination papers for the general elections and a rally, apart from endless meetings at his home, the 73-year-old Congressman found time for a freewheeling interview - the only he has done in the past several months.
"I feel really bad for Kejriwalji. People had great expectations but when you come to a constitutional position as Chief Minister and you sit on the roads, I don't think any constitution will allow this. So what should I say: is he a warrior or a mad man? So I said "veda", Mr Shinde explained.
Mr Shinde's comment in January had come after a confrontation that Mr Kejriwal had set up with the Delhi Police and the Centre; as Home Minister, Mr Shinde had to order the deployment of many security personnel as Mr Kejriwal staged a protest in the heart of Delhi.
Days later, the AAP chief had resigned as Delhi chief minister after a 49-day stint. He has now announced that he will contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh against the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
At a rally in Varanasi today, Mr Kejriwal attacked both Mr Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, widely seen as his party's top choice for PM if it gets the chance to form government after the general elections.
Mr Shinde said Rahul Gandhi's inexperience in governance would not be a limiting factor. "Rahul ji is the vice president. He is the whole and soul of the party. What is government?" he asked, seeming to dismiss his own vast political career - he went from a court peon to being a union minister - when he added, "I have only governed. Rahul ji has been meeting all sorts of people and is forming the vision for the party."