Prabhu gets Advani pat for rail budget (Sidelights)

Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani seemed the happiest with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu's budget Thursday.

As soon as Prabhu finished reading his more than an hour long speech, a pleased looking Advani, who was sitting next to him, patted him vigorously and shook his hands.

The senior leader usually keeps a low profile in the house these days.

A beaming Prabhu folded his hands and greeted the senior leader in return.

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No front row for Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was a little late in entering the Lok Sabha, had to sit next to Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur as his usual seat in the front row was occupied by Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Advani and Prabhu.

Jaitley came in nearly five minutes after Prabhu began his speech. Harsimrat Kaur immediately attempted to strike a conversation with the finance minister.

Though initially Jaitley was seen trying to concentrate on the railway budget, very soon he chatted up the food processing industries minister, who is the wife of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

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'Hey Prabhu'

The Railway minister evoked peals of laughter when reflecting on the challenging tasks before him, he remarked:

"Hey Prabhu, ye kaise hoga? (Oh God, how can this be done?). His remarks led to guffaws in the house, which was till then listening with apt attention to the finer nuances of the budget.

However, he was quick to add that large resources will ensure "re-birth of the railways".

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An animated Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who usually sits with an impassive face, was seen animatedly discussing the rail budget with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The two top leaders were holding copies of the railway budget speech and discussing it.

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No MP fund for railway

Prabhu Thursday touched a raw nerve when he suggested that MPs use part of their development funds in improving facilities at railway stations.

"No no no..." almost all opposition MPs shouted when he made the suggestion.

Talking about making passenger amenities better as he presented the railway budget for 2015-16, he said: "I request all corporates, NGOs, charitable institutions and religious institutions to come forward and invest generously for passenger amenities from their CSR fund.

"I also request all MPs to use part of their MPLAD funds in improving facilities at railway stations."

Some opposition MPs were quick to ask for a raise in the MPLAD fund.