Pranab Mukherjee returns from US trip

New Delhi, Sep 26: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee returned home today (Sept 26) from his US trip against the backdrop of the controversy created by a Finance Ministry note on 2G spectrum allocation.

Mukherjee, who is likely to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the issue, refused to speak to the media waiting at the Delhi International Airport.

"Whatever I had to say, I said yesterday. I have nothing to add," a visibly-upset Mukherjee told reporters.

He said a full-fledged press conference will be held after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returns from his visit to New York on Tuesday.

Mukherjee returned against the backdrop of the controversy created by the March 25 note of the Finance Ministry to the PMO which said that 2G spectrum could have been auctioned if the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram had insisted.

Mukherjee met the Prime Minister in New York yesterday for an hour after which he said he would have to take "expert opinon" on the note.

He described Chidambaram as "our valued colleague" but made it clear that he would make any comments on the issue only after he talks to the Home Minister, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and other party leaders.

PTI