In a scene rarely witnessed in Parliament,External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee,on Tuesday received copious praise in the Lok Sabha from unexpected quarters-the Leader of the Opposition L K Advani. "Sometimes I think had Pranabji not been there what would happen to this government," he said in his opening remarks during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. "Whenever there is a crisis,he is there. 25 years ago he presented the budget and did so again yesterday as it was a crisis situation," the 82-year-old BJP veteran recalled of the Congress leader,who wears different caps in the UPA government,74-year-old Mukherjee,who was intently listening to Advani's remarks with a smile,acknowledged Advani's praise with folded hands even as the House lauded the gesture with thumping of desks. The BJP leader said he had known Mukherjee for many years and had always appreciated his abilities. "Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee is one year senior to me in Parliament. I was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1970 while he was elected one year before," Advani said. "Ever since I was introduced to Pranab Mukherjee I have always appreciated his ability,his strength and his capability to shoulder responsibility." Mukherjee,Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha,who stands in for a recuperating Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,headed various Groups of Ministers in the UPA government,led the negotiations with the Left parties on Indo-US nuclear deal and is a trouble-shooter for the Congress party and the government. Later in his speech,Advani said Parliament had witnessed a new low during the trust vote (of July 22,2008). "Mukherjee,I and the Speaker who joined one year after me had never seen buying and selling of MPs...We will not be there tomorrow. The future generations will not forgive us," he said.
