Arun Jaitley: Reformist, political FM the NDA will now have to do without

Jaitley has never been against affirmative action-type of politics, only its fall-out - the rise of caste-based parties, which seem to have no superstructure of governance or ethics driving it

For the time being, Arun Jaitley will not be available to the Narendra Modi government for hands-on intervention in running the administration. 

As Finance Minister (2014-19), his contribution was political much more than economic. After a two-term tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) when L K Advani seemed loath to leave the spotlight and the BJP seemed to be staring at a political dead end, Jaitley was one of those who pushed and propelled Narendra Modi centre-stage, edging out his former mentor. Little wonder then, that not only was he given the most important portfolio in the Modi government