Don't start taking sleeping pills, Jaswant tells Pranab

"Do not start consuming sleeping pills," this was the advice of former Finance Minister Jaswant Singh to the present incumbent in the Finance Ministry on the issue fiscal deficit.

Making a brief remark before the Prime Minister's reply in the Lok Sabha to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, the BJP member referred to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's remarks that he has lost his sleep due to fiscal deficit.

"I have read in newspapers that you have lost your sleep due to fiscal deficit. I felt bad...Even by mistake you should not start consuming sleeping pills. Fiscal deficit has taken place...You do not listen to us...Try our remedy. You can ask my friend Shatrughan (Sinha)," he said.

He wished Mukherjee success in his efforts saying that his success meant success for the nation.

Singh then told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that opposition parties were his "political adversaries" and not enemies. "...Your enemies, political or otherwise, sit behind you and besides you. If you have to take heed, take that heed."

He demanded a "start up fund" for Darjeeling district from Mukherjee.

Amid strains in Congress' relations with ally Trinamool Congress, Singh referred to a statement of the Prime Minister that the government had numbers and said the issue was not related to numbers but credibility.