Sheila Dixit's comments were lapped up by BJP President Amit Shah, who instantly ridiculed Rahul Gandhi.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has taken an U-turn on her earlier remarks on Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, asserting that he has "the sensitivity of a mature leader". The explanation came as a riposte to BJP President Amit Shah's barbs questioning her assessment of Mr Gandhi as "still not mature and needs some time," and this despite handing him over the charge of a complex state like Uttar Pradesh.
"Please remember Rahul is still not mature, his age does not allow him to be mature. He is what... in his forties. Please give him time," Ms Dikshit had said in an interview to The Times of India on Thursday.
Her comments were quickly lapped up by BJP President Amit Shah, who did not waste any time to ridicule Mr Gandhi saying, "immature Rahul should be kept at home" instead of being sent to Uttar Pradesh.
With "Don't twist my words" hashtag, Ms Dikshit took to the Twitter on Friday to clarify her comments.
"Rahul has the sensitivity and concern of a mature leader. His words are those of a young, courageous and restless man," she stressed.
BJP president had taken a jibe at Congress at his election rally in Azamgarh on Friday saying, "If he (Mr Gandhi) is not mature enough, why has he been imposed upon Uttar Pradesh? Is this a political laboratory or learning ground for someone?" Mr Shah stressed that UP's problems require "men of steel" to solve them.
"The problems of Uttar Pradesh can be solved only under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Mr Shah had said with confidence.
A "BJP tsunami" will help his party get two-thirds majority in the 403-member Assembly and put an end to what he called the "misrule" of the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, who have ruled the state by turns for the past 14 years.
The 78-year-old former Delhi Chief Minister was named by the Congress as the party's presumptive Chief Minister for UP, but that arrangement ceased after the party joined hands with the Samajwadi Party, with Akhilesh Yadav as their nominee for the top post.