7 key highlights of Pranab Mukherjee's political career

Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who breathed his last in 2020, was born on this day 85 years ago.
He was known as the ‘Man for All Seasons’ and had a long and distinguished political career spanning over five decades, saw many ups and downs. Before entering into politics, Mukherjee worked as a lecturer and journalist. A stalwart of Indian politics, he assumed various roles in the government and his party.He was a five-time member of Rajya Sabha and was elected twice in the Lok Sabha.
On his Birth Anniversary, here are some of the key highlights of his political career
Political debut and joining Congress
Mukherjee’s debut in politics was when he founded the Bangla Congress in 1967. He forged the United Front alliance against the Indian National Congress. In 1969, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha for the first time on a Bangla Congress ticket.
In 1969 when he was working as an agent for the by-election campaign of VK Krishna Menon, who was contesting as an independent candidate from Midnapore, West Bengal. It was then that Indira Gandhi spotted him. Impressed with his political acumen, Gandhi brought Mukherjee into the Congress.
Growth in Congress
He became one of top lieutenants of Indira. His rise was meteoric in the early phase of his career and he became a cabinet minister in her government in 1973.
He was the member of Congress Working Committee (the highest policy making body of Indian National Congress) from January 27, 1978 to January 18, 1986 and again from August 10, 1997 till June 2012.
Portfolios during his career
Mukherjee is the only President who served all the major portfolios as the Centre - Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance - at different times in his political career.
Mukherjee started his parliamentary journey through the Rajya Sabha in 1969. Mukherjee was appointed as the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission in 1991. After winning his first Lok Sabha election in 2004 from Jangipur in West Bengal, Mukherjee went on to head three crucial ministries — external affairs, defence and finance — and became the first occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to have this distinction.
Best Finance Minister in the world
Mukherjee became India’s youngest finance minister of India in 1982 at the age of 47.
In 1984, Mukherjee was voted as the Best Finance Minister in the World by the Euromoney magazine and is the only Finance Minister to serve the post both, in the Pre-Liberisation and Post-Liberisation eras.
He improved the finances of the government and helped pay the last installment of India’s first IMF loan.
As the Minister of Finance, Mukherjee is also recognized for appointing Manmohan Singh as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
Disillusionment with Congress
After the assassination of Indira in 1984, Mukherjee saw himself as the rightful heir to the post of Congress president which instead went to Rajiv Gandhi. Following a power struggle, after being sidelined in the party, Mukherjee formed his own political party called 'Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress' which eventually merged with the Congress in 1989.
Achievements
Mukherjee led the negotiations of the Indo-US nuclear deal between 2005 and 2008. As Minister of External Affairs, he succeeded in the signing of the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement.
During his term, he spent a considerable amount of time promoting the need for improving standards of higher education and holding the compass to the political leadership to remain steadfast in observing Constitutional probity.
13th President of India
Mukherjee was sworn in as India's 13th President on July 25, 2012 and served till July 25, 2017. He retired from politics the same year citing health conditions. Mukherjee as president turned down several mercy petitions. Yakub Menon, Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru were hanged during his presidency.