When Chidambaram became a 'TV reporter'

Finance Minister took mike from a TV reporter and put in front of BJP leader Jaswant Singh for his reaction on Congress' victory in Karnataka

BJP's defeat in Karnataka Assembly polls turned Finance Minister P Chidambaram into a 'TV reporter' today.

The senior Congress leader took mike from a TV reporter and put in front of senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh as he emerged from Parliament.

"Don't you credit Congress with victory?" the senior Congress leader asked Singh.

In fact, the Finance Minister was being asked questions by reporters on Karnataka when he saw Singh coming out. Promptly, he took the mike of the TV reporter and posed the question to Jaswant who was his predecessor in the Finance Ministry before Congress came to power at the Centre in May 2004.

"He is a gentleman", Chidambaram said about Singh while returning mike to the reporter.

"It is a message to all political parties. The people watch very closely. Whoever forms the government must deliver," the Finance Minister said, reacting to a question whether the Karnataka Assembly poll result is a larger message to the UPA Government as the people of Karnataka voted out BJP on the issue of corruption.

Agreeing with Chidambaram, Singh said people vote for governance and "if you stop governance, people will vote you out.