New Delhi, Aug 27 : While lashing out at the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj Saturday lavished praise on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The prime minister exhibited "statesmanship" by expressing concern over Anna Hazare's health and urging him to end his hunger strike, she said in the Lok Sabha.

"But Congress general secretary (Rahul Gandhi) watered down your (prime minister's) statesmanship," she said, referring to Gandhi's statement in the Lok Sabha Friday on the Lokpal issue.

She also praised Manmohan Singh for agreeing to come under the ambit of the proposed ombudsman.

"Manmohan Singh himself wanted to be under the ambit of the Lokpal but nobody in the Congress took him seriously," she said.

But his cabinet colleagues disagreed and included a provision in the draft Lokpal bill that the prime minister can be covered but only after he demits office.(IANS)