Palanivel Thiagarajan, Tamil Nadu finance minister, is one of the most brilliant, persuasive and outspoken political leaders who stands on the other side of BJP and Narendra Modi. In an interview with mathrubhumi.com, he speaks on a range of issues, from his experience in government to the debate on South vs North.

It is one thing to be in the opposition and entirely another thing to be part of the regime, the administration. How has it been the last one and half years?

It has been a huge learning experience. Everyday I am getting better at the job. Mainly two things 1. How to effect change and get good results.You won't get better results if you don't change it. 2. I am learning not to be very open. I am learning to keep a lot of things to myself. Transparency is good but sometimes it can create political and other problems. So, I am learning to be much more circumspect. I shouldn't pick fights that I can't resolve.

Has this decision to keep a lot of things to yourself anything to do with the controversial arguments with regard to Jaggi Vasudev, founder of Isha Foundation?

It's a trade off. I will give you both sides of the trade off. Some people tell me that it is important to raise your voice on all issues that are of high attention in society. Because there are very few people who are able to speak fearlessly. When you speak something, you are creating an opening to those who are otherwise scared, reluctant or worried to expose themselves to breach barriers.

Other people tell me that when you are in the opposition you are accountable only to your party, your ideology or yourself. Now you are in government. Your job is to deliver results. That means you have to act in a way that doesn't reduce your ability to deliver results and doesn't distract you from your daily job. I would say I would shift towards the second argument. When I started functioning as a minister I was still having the feeling that I was in the opposition. It took me a while to realise the balance. I have realised that I should avoid issues that are not directly under my control.