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March 18, 2011 - His reign hit by one allegation of financial impropriety after another, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clarified on Friday that the recent cash-for-votes scandal plaguing his government has nothing to do with him.

On the possibility that the Congress might have purchased a handful of MPs to bolster its numbers in the UPA-I trust vote in 2008 – as exposed by a recent Wikileaks cable – Singh said: “Certainly, I am not involved in any such things.”

He added: “I have not authorised anyone to purchase any votes. I am not aware of any purchase of votes.”

In defence of his party, Singh also said that people who have been named in the diplomatic cables have expressed serious doubts over the “veracity” of the information the leaked US diplomatic exchanges have thrown up.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a conclave organised by the 'India Today'.

Singh said: "I have no knowledge of any such purchases and I am absolutely categorical, I have not authorised anyone to purchase any votes," he said while replying to questions at the conclave.

"I am absolutely certain in asserting that I am not at all, I think, involved in any of these transactions," the Prime Minister insisted.

His response, however, did not categorically clarify whether or not the purchases took place at all during the Confidence Motion on July 22, 2008.

"As far as events of the last few days (are concerned) and the so-called Wikileaks, I would not like to comment," Singh said about the Opposition's onslaught on the government following the Wikileaks expose.

"I would not like to comment on what we are going to do right now or in days to come. These are the matters which are being discussed in Parliament. If I have anything to say, we would say in Parliament first," he said.