Congress leaders discuss Mamata’s demands

Congress leaders met at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday night to discuss Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to passenger fare hike in the railway budget and her demand to replace her nominee and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi with party colleague Mukul Roy.

With Banerjee’s party making it clear that passenger fare hike was unacceptable to her, Congress leaders deliberated on the possible options before the United Progressive Alliance government to pass the rail budget presented earlier in the day.

A Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, said that Banerjee has been assured that her wish on the choice of railway minister would be honoured.

Party sources said that the meeting at prime minister’s residence also discussed the preparations of the government for the general budget.

They said that the party was exploring th possibility of mustering numbers from other parties if Trinamool Congress decides to withdraw support to the government.

The Samajwadi Party, which supports the government from outside, could be an option to replace Trinamool Congress, they said.

In a sign of strain in its ties with the Congress, the Trinamool Congress also moved amendment to the motion of thanks to the president’s address to parliament over the issue of National Counter Terrorism Centre.

The Congress is also facing pressure from its ally the DMK to vote against Sri Lanka on a US-sponsored motion in the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Official sources said Trinamool Congress MPs had sought an appointment with the prime minister Wednesday but the meeting did not take place. They said the meeting was likely to take place Thursday.

Trivedi, who was picked by Banerjee to replace her as railway minister, had told the media earlier that he had not consulted his leader while proposing the hike in passenger fares.

Trivedi said he had done what was best for the country.

“I am in politics for duty to my country…I don’t care about job,” Trivedi said.

Trivedi, who presented his first rail budget Wednesday, said he was prepared to quit if Banerjee asked him to put in his papers.

“Tomorrow if my leaders says I will resign,” he said.