New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee will resign today as India's finance minister. But besides needing a new finance minister, the Congress will have to think of someone to replace him as leader of the house. Mr Mukherjee has been the party's chief trouble-shooter and tackled the difficult allies and the aggressive opposition parties.
As for the Finance Minister's role, many analysts say a change in guard has been long overdue. According to sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to retain the finance portfolio for now.
The PM is also expected to step in to deal with the battered economy, inflation and the poor growth. (Read: The other contenders for Finance Minister)
There is still speculation whether he will keep the portfolio till the end of the UPA tenure in 2014, or will he find somebody else to hand it over to.
Analysts also say, the Congress faced a lot of flak for the decisions that Mr Mukherjee took as the Finance Minister, especially the retrospective tax. And so it might be imperative for a known hand like Mr Singh to take over to tackle the situation. Mr Singh is seen to be able to push reforms that could unleash faster growth as happened in 1991.
But besides finding a replacement in the Finance Ministry, the situation for the Congress party will get tougher. They need to find a leader of the house; a job Mr Mukherjee performed very well, even his detractors would agree.
As leader of the house, Mr Mukherjee shared an excellent rapport with everyone. The opposition is already apprehensive. "We need a consensus builder in the house. Someone who will soothe frayed nerves. One does not need a partisan person who is out to arrogantly assert his own authority. Most Congress leaders are arrogant and not popular," says Yashwant Sinha, Senior BJP leader.
As for the Finance Minister's role, many analysts say a change in guard has been long overdue. According to sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to retain the finance portfolio for now.
The PM is also expected to step in to deal with the battered economy, inflation and the poor growth. (Read: The other contenders for Finance Minister)
Analysts also say, the Congress faced a lot of flak for the decisions that Mr Mukherjee took as the Finance Minister, especially the retrospective tax. And so it might be imperative for a known hand like Mr Singh to take over to tackle the situation. Mr Singh is seen to be able to push reforms that could unleash faster growth as happened in 1991.
But besides finding a replacement in the Finance Ministry, the situation for the Congress party will get tougher. They need to find a leader of the house; a job Mr Mukherjee performed very well, even his detractors would agree.
As leader of the house, Mr Mukherjee shared an excellent rapport with everyone. The opposition is already apprehensive. "We need a consensus builder in the house. Someone who will soothe frayed nerves. One does not need a partisan person who is out to arrogantly assert his own authority. Most Congress leaders are arrogant and not popular," says Yashwant Sinha, Senior BJP leader.
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