“We have that thought in our minds. We are going to invite both,” he told press persons here on Saturday, on the sidelines of a party workers meeting. “If all members are willing to welcome Ms Gandhi and Dr Singh, we will definitely arrange a visit. And we hope that both will respond positively,” he said, which he reiterated later in the convention also.

When asked about the rebel uproar in the party, Mr Fernandes said he appealed such people to kindly withdraw from the front and co-operate for the victory of the party, remembering the contribution of the party in their own development.

“You have to bear the pains for some time, whatever may be its intensity,” he added.

Asked what he felt about the media pre-poll survey on the election results, he just cleverly said, “I won’t speak against your analysis.”

Advani criticised

Prior to this, addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader B Janardhana Poojary criticised Opposition leader L K Advani for his Friday’s comments on escalating inflation in the country.

Mr Poojary said it is BJP which is responsible for price rise for necessary commodities, and alleged that BJP has asked its men in the business to create artificial scarcity in the pretext of elections.

He also said most of the businessmen in Mangalore are BJP supporters. But when asked for a justification, he just said he is convinced that majority of the traders in Mangalore are from BJP.

For a query as to why he is very much particular about coastal region when inflation has spread all over the world, Mr Poojary just wriggled out of the issue.