SO IS Priyanka Gandhi finally entering politics? No straight answers yet.

But here is what she said to a question whether she will never enter politics: “ I grow As older, I realise that never is a bad thing to say. So I’m not going to say never.” Priyanka has steadfastly maintained she has no plans of joining politics. And keeps her involvement in politics to campaigning for her mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and brother Rahul Gandhi.

She was campaigning for her brother in Amethi when reporters caught up with her on Sunday The first questions .

were on the running war of words between her and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

After calling the Congress an old woman — to which Priyanka had retorted with “Do I look old?” — he amended that by saying on Sunday: “Should I call it Gudiyya (doll) Congress then?” Reporters now wanted Priyanka’s response. But she was not obliging.

“Main Narendra Modi ke baare mein baat nahin karna chahti hoon. Unhone mujhe budhiya kaha ya gudiya, mujhe isse koi farak nahin padta.” (I don’t want to talk about Narendra Modi. I don’t care if he called me a doll or an old woman). She added there were more important issues facing the nation.

Should I call it Gudiyya (doll) Congress then? NARENDRA MODI, BJP leader, at an election meeting in Uttar Pradesh, on the Congress’s objection to his description of the party as budhiya (old). Soon she was facing ques- tions about her own plans for politics. Having got the battery of reporters excited with her never-say-never quote, she added quickly "But I certain- , ly don't see it. I don't feel that (joining politics) is what I would do."

But the word was out, and had soon reached Delhi where a Congress spokesman, doorstepped for comments on Priyanka's statement, said, "It should be left to her to decide – if she wants to enter politics or not." Priyanka then went on to attack the Prime Minister's critics. She told Hindustan Times that being soft or gentle shouldn't be mistaken for being weak. "He's been principled in politics for so long.

And that in itself means that he's strong," she said. When asked to comment on Mayawati's brand of politics, she smiled and said: "I'd rather not say".

She was also asked about her brother's impending marriage.

"You'd better ask him," she answered, but added later that the rest of the family had also been "after him" to get married. "Will you play matchmaker?" asked a reporter. "I know better than to do that," she said.