New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) As Pranab Mukherjee took his last walk through the corridors of cream and red sandstone British- era building that housed the finance ministry, it created a media frenzy that perhaps has no parallel in recent history. Mukherjee's pre-announced day for resigning as the Finance Minister to contest Presidential elections saw hectic activities at North Block since morning itself. Finance ministry officials and well-wishers lined up to wish their beloved 'Dada' well at his next destination in the adjacent building, the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Media too gathered in full strength but the ever obliging Mukherjee told them not to "torture" themselves in "scorching sun" and come back only at 1630 hrs when he would resign. But neither the media nor his well-wishers left the finance ministry premises. As the appointed hour approached, media contingent swelled forcing CISF, which guards the building, to erect temporary rope barriers on the forecourts of the ministry to keep the crowd under control. With scores of television cameras, backed by OB vans, and media personnel jostling, a podium was put up on the forecourts, perhaps only for the second time in the recent past. The previous occasion when a podium was put up was when Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram made a joint statement on controversy over 2G telecom spectrum allocation. While a smiling Mukherjee greeted the media with folded hands, media personnel too warmly wished him. Some even proposed to hold a formal farewell for 'Dada' but it wasn't immediately known if Mukherjee had accepted the invitation. MORE
