 "Jaitley praises PM, says he is a 'syana aadmi'")
They may have crossed swords on several occasions over a variety of issues, but senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley today praised Manmohan Singh, saying the Prime Minister's personal integrity was always above board.
He also termed him as a "syana aadmi" or a wise man, saying with an element of scholarship, he was always be well read and well prepared on any subject that he dealt with.
While Singh is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley is the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House.
"He will remain an elder statesman and a man of credibility to guide the nation. Only if he had stood up at the right time and disagreed he would have been regarded with still a greater honour," Jaitley wrote on his blog.
He said Singh became a Prime Minister on account of certain circumstances which compelled Congress President Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her name from the reckoning.
"He was literally a Prime Minister announced by Sonia ji. He had to function within that limitation.
"....When he addressed the country, he never came out as a leader. The reason for not coming out as a leader was clear. He never wanted to rock the boat. He knew that he was vested with limited power and on all major decisions he had to keep the party and its first family in good humour," Jaitley wrote.
He said Singh has two strong qualities. "Firstly, whenever you discussed a serious subject with the Prime Minister he came out as a man of scholarship. He was what we call to as a 'syana aadmi'."
Singh's words, Jaitley said, were measured and he would reflect before making a comment. "Secondly, his personal integrity was always above board. With an element of scholarship he was always be well read and well prepared on any subject that he dealt with.
He also termed him as a "syana aadmi" or a wise man, saying with an element of scholarship, he was always be well read and well prepared on any subject that he dealt with.
While Singh is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley is the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House.
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He said as curtains draw to a close after a ten-year-long period of providing leadership to the government, the Prime Minister "goes out with dignity and grace".
"He will remain an elder statesman and a man of credibility to guide the nation. Only if he had stood up at the right time and disagreed he would have been regarded with still a greater honour," Jaitley wrote on his blog.
He said Singh became a Prime Minister on account of certain circumstances which compelled Congress President Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her name from the reckoning.
"He was literally a Prime Minister announced by Sonia ji. He had to function within that limitation.
"....When he addressed the country, he never came out as a leader. The reason for not coming out as a leader was clear. He never wanted to rock the boat. He knew that he was vested with limited power and on all major decisions he had to keep the party and its first family in good humour," Jaitley wrote.
He said Singh has two strong qualities. "Firstly, whenever you discussed a serious subject with the Prime Minister he came out as a man of scholarship. He was what we call to as a 'syana aadmi'."
Singh's words, Jaitley said, were measured and he would reflect before making a comment. "Secondly, his personal integrity was always above board. With an element of scholarship he was always be well read and well prepared on any subject that he dealt with.