'Delighted to be back home': Jaitley returns from US

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, who had gone to New York for medical treatment on January 13, is back home over a week after Union Budget was presented in Parliament on February 1 by Piyush Goyal.

Goyal was given additional charge of Finance Ministry in the former’s absence.

“Delighted to be back home," Jaitley tweeted. A day before, he had addressed a function in the national capital to release the last book of late journalist Kuldip Nayar 'On Leaders and Icons from Jinnah to Modi' through video conferencing from New York.

Jaitley looked healthier while addressing the event. There was speculation since the beginning of the week that the Union Minister will be back very soon.

After Jaitley suddenly left for New York on January 13, indications were given that he may not be able to present the Union Budget on February 1.

There was also a media report that said that the 66-year-old minister had soft tissue cancer in his thigh, which could easily spread to other parts of the body. However, there was no confirmation or denial from the government on this count.

On January 23 Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was given the temporary charge of the finance ministry, who later presented the Union Budget on February 1.

This was the second time Goyal was given the charge of finance ministry due to Jaitley being on leave due to medical reasons. Earlier Jaitley had undergone a kidney transplant in May-June last year.

Goyal was given the additional charge of the finance ministry mid-May, a position he had held on to for about three months till Jaitley came back in September 2018.

During both the illness period, Jaitely was active on social media giving his opinion on key issues.

Even from New York this time, Jaitley was active on Facebook and kept writings blogs and posts on key issues like CBI action in Chanda Kochhar case, Congress stand on triple talaq and Mamata Banerjee’s sit-in protest in Kolkata.