Pranab to control the ‘nuke button’ till PM recovers

A day before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh got admitted into AIIMS for his heart-bypass,he signed a document delegating the vital Nuclear Command Authority powers to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Besides,the PM appointed Mukherjee as the Finance Minister till he is fully recovered to take the charge back.

Contrary to reports,the so-called nuclear button was handed over to Pranab as soon as the decision to go for surgery was taken by the PM. However,the decision to put Mukherjee as head of Finance was taken after discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.