Cold to Coal, Didi sits tight

However, there seemed to be a subtle shift in the Trinamool position.‘‘The bifurcation (of Eastern Railways) is a separate issue, Cabinet berth is different. We are not mixing the two.’’

The idea of getting Coal portfolio does not seem to excite Mamata much. A close Mamata aide said: ‘‘What is there in Coal? They are shutting down the mines or privatising. Let Mamata take a decision, they can vacate a portfolio for her.’’ And this could be Surface Transport.

The mellowing of Mamata’s stance is said to have come about after Vajpayee agreed to have another meeting with her. But, on the condition that she would not use the bifurcation tangle as a bargaining chip. ‘‘We agree the final decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister,’’ a senior Trinamool MP admitted.

But it was also clear that Mamata is determined to extract maximum political mileage out of the bifurcation which would mean shifting some of the divisions of the Eastern Railways from Kolkata to Hajipur in Bihar.

Her chief advisor of the moment, Kolkata Mayor Subrata Mukherjee, said: ‘‘It does not matter what image she gets here. Back in Bengal, people understand the sacrifice she is willing to make. That she is ready to even refuse a Cabinet berth to save the Eastern Railways from being taken away from Bengal.’’

As if to underline that she is not out to extract her pound of flesh, Trinamool MP Nitish Sengupta released a copy of a letter he had written to the PM on June 21 when he had contested Nitish’s decision to create another railway zone headquartered in Hajipur. The letter indicates ‘‘there will be serious political agitations in Bengal which will be beyond the competence of any government to control. All parties are united in protest against reorganisation’’.

Meanwhile, sources said all was not well in the Trinamool either. With Vajpayee ready to accommodate Mamata’s tantrums, the MPs are divided over names for the two Minister of State posts coming their way.

Keen to project a Muslim face, Mamata is said to have recommended Lok Sabha MP Akbar Ali Kandakar’s name. A move which has split Trinamool MP camp, with her second-in-command Sudip Bandyopadhyay picking up a fight.