I went to join the ministry of V P Singh, but returned from Rashtrapati Bhawan after learning that I was going to be just a junior minister. I went straight to Chandra Shekharji, who was watching the entire thing on TV. He told me I did the right thing. Some time later, V P Singh suggested that I go to Punjab as Governor, but Chandrashekhar did not approve of it. Later on, he formed the Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP) and became Prime Minister with the support of the Congress. I became his Finance Minister. Throughout this period, I realised besides being a fantastic politician and a statesman, he was also a good human being.

He always cared for the need of other people. He had turned a vegetarian, but took special care to ensure that there was some thing non-vegetarian when I was around. He was a consensus builder. In the wake of a Sati in Rajasthan, the Janata Party ran into a crisis. Kalyan Singh Kalwi, a party leader from the state, said something in favour of Sati. Others in the party were furious and it looked like the party would split over the issue. But Chandra Shekharji was able to satisfy both groups and able to carry the day.

Irrespective of the party, anyone could approach him for help and he went out of his way to help people. If someone approached him for financial help, he would suddenly demand others present at his place to contribute whatever they can. I have seen him doing this for people who have been his bitter critics. That was the greatness of the man.

... contd.