Arun Jaitley: A Politician And A Gentleman

The BJP will sorely miss their man for all seasons, perhaps most for his unmatched ability to articulate even the controversial with conviction and persuasive clarity

- Shwweta Punj & Uday Mahurkar

Arun Jaitley, who passed away on August 24 at the age of 66 after a prolonged illness, led a life most unordinary. From a fairly ordinary, middle-class beginning—his first chamber being his father’s office in Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area— Jaitley rose to the highest echelons of Executive office. What made the political ascent even more remarkable was that he was never a ‘mass leader’ nor, like many of his peers in government, did he rise through the ranks of his party’s ideological parent—the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His influence and power only grew with time. Whether it was while the BJP had L.K. Advani at the helm or the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo, Jaitley was indispensable. He had an uncanny ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and parties. He was the only one in his generation of leaders who managed to get an important position, as the additional solicitor general, in the V.P. Singh government of 1989-90 which gave his legal career a big boost.

For several years, Jaitley was the one who drafted the resolutions of the party’s national executive meet. His ability to spin a situation to the advantage of the BJP on television and in the Rajya Sabha earned him many admirers, even among his political adversaries.

Jaitley’s urbane charm earned him many friends—spanning professions, demographics and vintage. His personal reputation remained unscathed even when the wisdom of some big financial decisions on his watch were under the harsh spotlight of critical scrutiny.

HOLDING THE FISCAL FORT