Pranab as FM: Remembering how he managed controversies, even created some

The gap between Mukherjee's two tenures as FM is testimony as much to his longevity and utility as a politician as to his ability to survive under different Congress regimes

Only five finance ministers of India have had the privilege of holding that prized portfolio twice in their career in different stints. Pranab Mukherjee was one of them. But there was a big difference.
 
The gap between the two tenures of all other finance ministers – T T Krishnamachari, Morarji Desai, Yashwant Sinha and P Chidambaram – ranged between four years and seven years.
 
For Pranab Mukherjee, the gap was 25 years. That long gap is testimony as much to his longevity and utility as a politician as to his ability to survive under different Congress regimes.