finance minister Pranab Mukherjee makes a startling disclosure In an unprecedented interview

FM'S INTERVIEW

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In an unprecedented interview, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee makes a startling disclosure. The UPA's troubleshooter-in-chief tells Senior Editor Priya Sahgal that he will not be joining the Cabinet when Rahul Gandhi takes over as prime minister. In a nostalgic mood, he also recalls how he gave up smoking and dealt with other temptations. Excerpts.
When you were shifted from defence to the external affairs ministry, you told A.K. Antony, I give to you all my sleepless nights. How are your nights in North Block?(laughs) I am still carrying many sleepless nights with me. External affairs was a gentleman's ministry. I enjoyed it.
And finance?Finance is good too. I have always preferred it as I have grown up in the field-it was my first portfolio in 1973.
What is your working equation with the prime minister, a man who once called you sir?It's very good, excellent in fact (smiles). I have worked with him for many years. He is a perfect gentleman and the embodiment of courtesy and politeness.
What does he call you now? I believe you told him that you will stop attending the Cabinet if he kept on calling you sir?Of course, I had to tell him that. But you know, it's a mode of address. We call everybody sir, even an unknown person.
Do you think Rahul will become the prime minister?Why don't you wait? There is a strong potentiality of Shri Rahul Gandhi becoming prime minister because he is a popular leader of the country's premier party. The crowds he gets are amazing. I have attended some of his meetings in West Bengal.
Will you join his Cabinet?My goodness (laughs)! What would be my age? I am already 75. There is a limit beyond which you cannot go. How long do you expect me to stay? Rather, I have overstayed my wicket.
Why do you feel that? This Government will be lost without you.No, I think I have done enough.
Then is it a no to joining Rahul's Cabinet?You're just conjecturing too much. Let's wait and see what happens.
'I believe that the office of the President is not to be sought after, but is to be offered. It is the highest office and is offered to the deserving.'
Were you expecting the charge of home in 2004?Not at all. I was the chairman of the Home Standing Parliamentary Committee during the NDA. So I know the functioning of that ministry very well. It's a huge one.
You're the only minister today who was also part of the Indira Cabinet. Are her economic policies still relevant?Policies are determined by socio-economic factors prevailing at that point of time. The aam aadmi has always been in focus but in different forms. When we talk inclusive growth, we talk of him when we talk of growth with equity or garibi hatao, the aam aadmi has always been at the centre but with different definitions and requirements. At one point, we calculated poverty on the basis of calorie consumption. Today, there are many other things like access to social security, to basic amenities like health.
Is failure to control inflation your biggest challenge?I would not say I have failed. I have been able to reduce it from the peak it reached in December 2009 when it was as high as 20 per cent. Now it has been brought down to 16 per cent. But I must say, it is a matter of concern since inflation hits the poorer sections the most. One of my biggest challenges is to control inflation but at the same time, I should not stand in the way of higher growth trajectory. It is a difficult challenge for any finance minister.
What is the equation between you and Sonia Gandhi? She seems to respect you but not trust you.There is no trust deficit or evendeficit of acceptability.
Is it time to set the record straight as to what went wrong between you and Rajiv Gandhi in 1984? The full story has never been told.Sometime in 1991, Rajiv gave an interview to INDIA TODAY. He was asked this question and he gave a good clarification. I think that should be enough. (Rajiv's response when asked about Mukherjee was, "Many things said about him I found weren't true.")
Yet when it comes to rewarding you, there is always some excuse.I have been rewarded enough.
For instance, you were everyone's choice for the President of India, except the Congress's.I have been rewarded enough politically. You mentioned that I am the only minister who was part of Indira's Cabinet. I have been a part of almost all the Congress governments. Very few people can claim that. Why should I feel I have not been adequately rewarded? I am a satisfied man.
You're not a hurt man then?Not at all.
The office of the President of India will be vacant again in 2012.Personally, I believe that the office of the President is not to be sought after, but is to be offered. It is the highest office. And it is always offered to a deserving person.
Any regrets of not being offered the prime minister's job?There is a prime minister and he is very good and competent. India is fortunate to have a prime minister like Dr Manmohan Singh. I have great respect for him.
'Mamata is a powerful leader and deserves her share of power. Building a party within 10-12 years that can challenge the CPI(M) is not a small feat.'
You do not want to be the prime minister then?Not at all. I am satisfied. I have been in parliament since 1969 and in the government since 1973-that's 37 years. The rate of mortality in parliamentary democracy is very high. I have stuck to the wicket for so long. I should consider myself fortunate instead of being discontented.
As the UPA's chief troubleshooter, who has been your most difficult ally?In a coalition Government, we have to keep in mind that different political parties have different perceptions. We have to bring convergence by persuading them and respecting their views. Sometimes I lose my temper (smiles), even with journalists. By now, my bad temper, my short temper or my quick temper has become well-known.
What about a consensus on goods and services tax (GST)?I don't think politics should be mixed with major economic decisions. If you look at the BJP manifesto, they have indicated the rate of GST. So not only have they accepted GST, but that it should be 12 to 14 per cent. There is a broad political consensus about the necessity of GST, about the need to remove multiple points of taxation. There are reservations from some states who feel that a uniform rate of taxation will deny them the autonomy of imposing taxes which they believe is their sovereign right. It may take some time, but it will be possible.
You are the eternal consensus maker after all.I try but I can only do it if I get support from others. But the credit goes to everyone who has agreed on certain issues.
With West Bengal elections coming, is it the comedy of Mamata Banerjee or the tragedy of Pranab Mukherjee that...(smiles but cuts short the question) Mamata is a powerful leader and therefore deserves her share of power. Building a party within a mere 10-12 years that can challenge the mighty CPI(M) is not a small achievement.
Did you ever want to be the chief minister of West Bengal?In the mid 1970s, there was a move to make me the chief minister, but I said no. There was no question of my saying no actually. At that point, Indiraji ruled it out and said, let him grow with me at the Centre.
Is it true that in 1980, Indira Gandhi called you and said there cannot be a Cabinet without Pranab, though you had lost the elections?There are so many stories about that. One story goes that Mrs Gandhi was advised by an astrologer to get a particular number for her Cabinet and to achieve that, she included me at the last minute. I was defeated no doubt, but for the first time, a defeated man was taken in the Cabinet. From 1952 till 1980, the principle adopted by the Congress was that no defeated candidates would be part of the government at the Centre. So naturally, there were a lot of questions as to why a defeated man has been inducted. I was also the first from the Rajya Sabha to be appointed finance minister.
Why did you stop smoking your trademark pipe?I will tell you exactly when: in 1993. One day, I decided I will not smoke, that's all. Thereafter, I carried my pipe, tobacco, pouch, pipe cleaner, all the apparatus with me for a year in case I had any desire to smoke, but I did not. It's good because now the anti-tobacco lobby is so strong that I would have faced a lot of difficultie