Monday, February 28 2005 19:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Nine months into the harsh realities of running the key Finance Ministry appears to have taken its toll on P Chidambaram for unlike last year he was today (Feb 28, 2005) neither poetic nor sentimental while presenting Budget 2005-06.

The man who hit the headlines with his 'Main Hoon Na' (I am there) dialogue appeared more business-like this year and instead of English novelist Charles Dickens chose to quote noted economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

"My redemption lies in good deeds and not in good words", he had said last year comparing himself to Pip, the protagonist of Dicken's 'Great Expectations'.

However, this year, he appeared more realistic quoting Sen, "growth of GNP or of individual incomes, can, of course, be very important as means to expanding the freedoms enjoyed by members of society.

But freedoms depend also on other determinants, such as social and economic arrangements (for example, facilities for education and health care) as well as political and civil rights."

Though he quoted his favourite Tamil saint poet Thiruvalluvar this year too while concluding his speech, it was philosophic last time and more materialistic this time.

"Aran Izhukkathu Allavai Neeki Maran Izhukka Maanam Udayathu Arasu (They are good rulers who observe ethics, commit no crime and walk the path of honour and courage)", he had said, while this time round, it was "Pini Inmai Selvam Vilaivu Inbam Emam, Ani Enba Nattirku Iv Iyndhu (Health, wealth, produce, the happiness that is the result, and security these five, the learned say, are the ornaments of a polity)".

Emotion: Perhaps, the only time the Finance Minister departed from his prepared text and spoke emotionally was while announcing fixing of threshold exemption level for women and senior citizens. "I hope I will be twice blessed by women and senior citizens," he said.

Time: A stickler for punctuality, Chidambaram maintained his previous record of completing the speech in one hour and 50 minutes, notwithstanding the Opposition uproar over his proposal to levy a tax on cash withdrawal.

Family: The Finance Minister's family including son and daughter-in-law were present at the special gallery to hear his Budget speech.

Opposition: Except for the furore over the tax on cash withdrawals, the Opposition by and large heard the entire speech silently except for some murmurs when he said that all water schemes have been brought under the purview of the Rajiv Gandhi Water Mission.

Jai Shri Ram: Several BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) members chose to greet Speaker Somnath Chatterjee with 'Jai Shri Ram' instead of the usual Namaskar.

Elders: Among the distinguished Rajya Sabha members who watched the Budget presentation were industrialist-turned- MP Anil Ambani, film maker Subbirami Reddy, former Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, BJP leaders Balbir Punj and Maya Singh, Jairam Ramesh of Congress and BJD's B J Panda.

Ambani was seen taking copious notes.

Bihar: The political situation in Bihar found ample reflection in the attendance of MPs from the State during the Budget presentation.

With the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) deciding to adopt a 'Wait and Watch' approach and the UPA making an all out bid for Government formation, RJD supremo Laloo Prasad and kingmaker and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) Chief Ram Vilas Paswan were missing.

But all prominent JDU (Janata Dal United) leaders including NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar and alliance Convener George Fernandes were present throughout the address.

JMM's (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) Shibu Soren too appeared to be occupied with Government formation exercise in Jharkhand.

Stars: While only Amchi Mumbai's Govinda was present during the Railway Budget presentation, star-turned-politicians cutting across political lines were present today. They included Sports Minister Sunil Dutt, Samajwadi Party's Raj Babbar and Vinod Khanna and Dharmendra of the BJP.

Also present was cricketer-turned-BJP MP Navjot Sidhu.

Budget seemed to bother one and all.

The royals - Sangeeta Singh Deo of Orissa and Dushyant Singh, son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, were seen seated together and engaged in animated conversation.

Patil: With Chidambaram on the front seat today, Home Minister Shivraj Patil chose to be a backbencher sitting on the last row of the Treasury benches.

Media: Usually confining their views to their columns, mediapersons were today seen apparently agitated over the proposal to levy tax on cash withdrawals.

"Ridiculous, outrageous" seemed to echo all over the press gallery.