Good Bye Pranab Da

By Vijay Kumar

YESTERDAY Pranab Mukherjee left his North Block Office for good – never to return and possibly to occupy the palace right across.

Picture above shows him with his staff, just before leaving North Block. Pranab Da was very popular with his staff. He was a babu's dream minister.

Addressing the media before leaving North Block, Pranab Da said,

I know you have many questions but today, my very last day in the Finance Ministry, is not the time to open up new dialogues. So let me just say how good it has been for me to have had these dialogues with you over the years.

Today, I stand ready to embark on a new journey. I feel honoured and humbled on my nomination as a candidate to contest the Presidential election by UPA-II supported by SP, BSP, JD(U), Shiv Sena, CPI(M), FB and some other Parties for which election is scheduled to be held on 19 th of July.

Yet, standing on the brink of such an honour, I also feel a tinge of sentiment at the thought of leaving behind my life as a political activist, spanning over four decades. I will miss my colleagues in the Ministry of Finance. And I will also miss not being stopped while getting into my car and getting out of my car in front of the Ministry of Finance by you all.

Friends, I have travelled a great distance in my life but I always remind myself that I was born in a remote village in Bengal. I saw the lives of poor farmers and simple folks of rural India. I know that not every decision I have taken might have been right. But I have taken those decisions always keeping in mind those simple and poor people I knew from my childhood.

You, members from the Media, have always reminded me of my responsibility, most of the time through your criticism, and sometimes, through your appreciation. I do hope our relationship will continue.

For a super-active politician like Pranab Mukherjee, Rashtrapati Bhavan would be a boring place – but maybe the man deserves a break. TIOL wishes Pranab Da all the very best in his new journey.