Critizing weekly newsmagzine Tehelka for changing its statements on Rahul Gandhi's [Images] interview, Janata Dal (United) on Sunday said the about turn on the issue confirmed its "proximity" to the top Congress leadership.

"The two statements by Tehelka - one contradicting the other within a span a few hours - only confirms their status as family retainers of 10, Janpath (residence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi [Images])," General Secretary and spokesperson of JD (U) Shambhu Shrivastava said in a statement.

Regrets for any errors in Rahul interview: Tehelka

"What was according to their own statement in the afternoon a formal interview in which there was nothing casual or private, became a casual chat by the late evening. Tehelka will have to answer what transpired in those few hours to make them a U-turn," he said.

Shrivastava said, "it was amusing that they have termed the political controversy around Rahul Gandhi's remarks as pity. The fact of the matter is that now only Tehelka can be pitied for heir shameful behaviour."

I could have been PM at 25: Rahul

He said despite all the acrobatics, one thing was clear that Rahul Gandhi did say that there was no trace of governance in Bihar.

"Congress and RJD cannot run away from this fact. They will have to pay a price for their misrule," Shrivastava added.