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Economic mess: BJP defends govt's fall guy Pranab

NEW DELHI: With speculation rife that sections in the government might be inclined to blame the economic crisis on the decisions taken byPranab Mukherjee when he was finance minister, BJP on Friday strongly took up cudgels for the President.

Reacting to the debate on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on the economic situation in Rajya Sabha, leader of oppositionArun Jaitley took exception to what he termed the government's bid to blame the rise in fiscal deficit and current account deficit (CAD) on the decisions taken between 2009 and 2011: the period when Mukherjee held charge of the finance ministry.

Jaitley said fiscal discipline was breached because of the schemes that were launched in 2007-2008 to bolster Congress's preparations for the 2009 polls: a not-so-subtle allusion to the farm loan waiver announced during P Chidambaram's previous stint in the finance ministry.

"Electoral expenditure was undertaken. As a result of which, from 2.5%, you have gone (in terms of fiscal deficit) to 6%. Your revenue deficit went up. And you merely say that the periods of 2009 and 2011 were responsible because those in-charge at the time are not here to defend themselves," the BJP leader said.

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