Advani, Pranab form mutual admiration club

It may not have the potential of achieving the impossible — a Congress-BJP alliance — but the newfound bonhomie between leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee and leader of the Opposition LK Advani has set tongues wagging.

There are rumours that the friendship could be a result of an understanding between the BJP and the UPA in the face of a Left Front threat to vote against a motion on president Pratibha Patil’s speech.

While initiating a debate on the motion in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Advani went on praising Mukherjee, who acknowledged the words of appreciation with folded hands. “Pranabji has been the principle trouble-shooter of the government. Sometimes I wonder had he not been there what would have happened to this government,” Advani said.

Known to be sworn enemies on both political and ideological fronts, Advani's praise for the senior Congress leader is also being construed as a deft move to drive a wedge in the Congress. His anger towards prime minister Manmohan Singh for not consulting the BJP on key issues is well known.

Recounting his decades-old association with Mukherjee. Advani praised the external affairs minister's strength of mind. “He is a year senior to me in parliament. I was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1970 while he came one year before me. I have always appreciated ability to shoulder responsibilities,” Advani said much to the amusement of the House.

Not one to waste a chance to put down the central government, Advani criticised the presidential address which he said was prepared by the government. “Pranabji adopted the right approach in his budget speech by comparing financial aspects of the past years. But the presidential address was nothing but a pre-poll progress report of the government,” he said.