New Delhi:
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented his seventh Budget today, but his Minister of State SS Palanimanickam was not with him in the Lok Sabha. The DMK leader is in Tamil Nadu instead with his party chief M Karunanidhi. The DMK had earlier this week assured the UPA that it would not embarrass or destabilise the government. Mr Palanimanickam said, "We are not embarrassing anyone... how can I go to Delhi when my leader is campaigning?" he asked.
Though DMK sources insist that too much should not be read into Mr Palanimanickam's absence, it comes amid the DMK's stated unhappiness with the government's stand over Sri Lanka's war crimes. The DMK, like other parties from the South, wants the government to vote against Sri Lanka at a United Nations Human Rights session in Geneva. The Prime Minister has hinted that is not likely.
This is the first time since he took over as Minister of State, Finance, that Mr Palanimanickam will be missing when the Budget is presented. He has held that position since 2004, when the UPA first formed government at the Centre. "Not just me, all Union ministers including MK Alagiri are campaigning here," he said, referring to his party president's son.