Next government must respect Raghuram Rajan's appointment as RBI governor: P Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram batted for RBI governor Raghuram Rajan whose future is under some speculation if BJP forms the next government.

The speculation started after some senior leaders in the party questioned high interest rate strategy adopted by the central bank to fight inflation.

"The governor...(has) been appointed having regard to his outstanding record, his outstanding academics, his reputation and his work earlier in other organisations. The next government must respect that appointment," he said at the AICC headquarters here.

Former finance minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has also said RBI governor should not be dragged into politics.

Rajan has been widely credited with bringing stability to India's financial markets and bringing more credibility to central bank's attempts to fight inflation.