The decision on bifurcation of Eastern Railway will be taken in consultation with Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee on Thursday. This is what Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani told a delegation from West Bengal — comprising MPs and MLAs from all parties except Trinamool Congress — which met him today.The Trinamool Congress ‘‘preferred to stay back and agitate over the issue in Kolkata. But as far as we are concerned Ajit Panja is still in the Trinamool!’’ a senior Left MP, who accompanied the delegation, commented.The delegation, headed by Left Front’s State Transport-cum-Sports Minister and trouble-shooter Subhash Chakraborty, wanted a review of the decision and in their representation to Advani said the Railways should not be allowed to degenerate into a conglomeration of zonal railways.Advani assured them that a decision would be taken after his meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and NDA convener George Fernandes will also be present at the meeting, he said. In the meantime, Advani added, no decision had been taken to set up an expert panel or a review committee to examine the bifurcation issue.Earlier, the 25-member delegation met the Union Railway Minister. Addressing the media, Chakraborty said: ‘‘This bifurcation-trifurcation is not a technical affair, it is a socially, economically, politically charged affair. This is a question of national integration. ’’Panja claimed that there were issues relating to the bifurcation that even Kumar himself was not aware of. ‘‘No one had explained to him the question of unemployment, we did. Bengal already has 80,000 registered unemployed. Such emotional outpourings did not cut much ice with Nitish. ‘‘He told us it is a Cabinet decision and he can’t alter it. The decision can be withdrawn only by the PM,’’ a delegation member said.Kumar also told the delegation that it was not possible for him to set up an expert committee at this stage. ‘‘But whenever talks are held at a senior level, we will keep it in mind. I will convey their feelings to the PM,’’ he said.
