Combative leaders, ailing Jaitley: BJP already missing its problem solver

With Jaitley ill and his advice increasingly ignored, BJP and Modi govt have found their engagement souring, not only with the Congress, but also many of the other neutral Opposition parties

On March 28, the Rajya Sabha bid farewell to its retiring members. In their speeches, several of them, particularly those from opposition parties, expressed their gratitude for the guidance they received from the Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley, also the finance minister in the Narendra Modi government, was among the retiring members who have been re-elected. On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that Jaitley, after his re-election, is reappointed the Leader of the House. But an ailing Jaitley is yet to take the oath for his new Rajya Sabha term.

In the last couple of Parliament sessions,