Vote! Is Arun Jaitley the right choice for FM?

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, perhaps, has the toughest job to handle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.

For, it isn’t easy to live up to the expectations of the industry, investors and common man.

His predecessor P Chidambarm was accused of leading the Indian economy astray and now the onus rests on Jaitley to boost economic growth and maintain fiscal prudence as well as to bring down high inflation.

The question arises: Will Jaitley manage to turn around India's economy?

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!

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According to a recent Reuters report, the Indian economy faces six major challenges.

These are:

1. Delivering a budget that contains the fiscal deficit

2. Narrowing the current account deficit

3. The El Nino threat

4: Surging inflation

5. Reviving the private investment cycle

6. Recapitalising state-run banks

Will Jaitley be able to handle these factors?

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!

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Yashwant Sinha (left) served as the Finance Minister of India from 1990 to 1991 under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and also from March 1998 to July 2002 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Sinha was the first Finance Minister to break the 53-year tradition of presenting the Indian budget at 5 pm local time, a practice held over from British Rule days.

Will Jaitley manage to push reforms unlike Sinha, who was known as a rollback FM?

 CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!

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Jaswant Singh (left) served as Finance Minister in the short-lived government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which lasted from May 16, 1996, to June 1, 1996.

In July 2002, he became Finance Minister again switching posts with Yashwant Sinha.

He was the key person in defining and pushing through the market-friendly reforms of the Vajpayee government.

Will Jaitley be a better Finance Minister compared to Singh?

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!

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P Chidambaram (left) ’s career as Finance Minister was a mixed bag.

During United Progressive Alliance-I his commitment to fiscal consolidation through broad compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act drew a lot of praise.

His push for the implementation of the value-added tax, too, was lauded.

On the negative side, Chidambaram’s throwing fiscal discipline to the winds in his 2008 Budget, with the loan waiver and other measures, led to the fiscal blowout.

Can Jaitley rectify the economic 'follies' of Chidambaram?

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!

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President Pranab Mukherjee (below) served as the Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012.

Mukherjee’s tenure was widely criticised for the following reasons:

1. Mukherjee’s inability to reach a consensus with the states on the Goods and Services tax.

2. His presiding over an unbroken spell of high inflation for two years.

3. His delay in withdrawing fiscal benefits.

Will Jaitley make a better Finance Minister compared to Pranab Mukherjee?

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE AND NOW!