Mamata has her way,Rly Minister Trivedi quits

Earlier in the day,Trivedi told reporters that Railways was nobody’s fiefdom but he has no problem in resigning if asked by the Prime Minister or by Mamata in writing.

“I do not want to stick to the ministry. But I also do not want to run away. The Prime Minister has to decide on it (his resignation). There should not be any politics with the ministry,” he said.

On Mamata’s insistence on his resignation following the Rail Budget,Trivedi said,“I have high regard for her. She is a good human being and a great leader. It is very much in her right to have her opinion,and I respect her opinion….”

Mamata,who was accompanied by Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy — her nominee to replace Trivedi in the Cabinet — at the Kolkata airport,said,“I am just going to Delhi for the parliamentary party meeting”.

She is also learnt to have said that the Congress and the UPA government must keep their “word” on sacking Trivedi within a couple of days of presenting the General Budget,which was on Friday.

Sources said the real reason behind the Trinamool chief’s sudden decision to head to Delhi was to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to pressure the government into asking Trivedi to leave before the parliamentary discussions on the Rail Budget tentatively scheduled for Tuesday.

She is also expected to discuss the Trinamool’s demand for an amendment to the presidential address which refers to the NCTC. The Prime Minister is expected to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha on Monday.