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Row WITH Mamata

Indian rail minister Trivedi quits

Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi
Indian Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi last night announced
his decision to resign after incurring the wrath of his party chief Mamata Banerjee for increasing the passenger train fare and holding out against her directive to quit.
Trivedi, who had defied for four days the Trinamool Congress chiefs directive to resign, gave in yesterday evening.
“I spoke to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee this [Sunday] morning and she gave a clear-cut direction to me that it was the party's decision I should resign. And I am a [disciplined] soldier.. .1 must obey the party's decision,” Trivedi told media persons.
“Since Trinamool Congress was instrumental in making me the railway minister, I thought I should quit by abiding by the party' s directive,” he said.
Trivedi was understood to have sent his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Trivedi said he was thank-
ful to Mamata Banerjee to have made him the railway minister and he has "high respect and regard” for her.
The rail budget for the new financial year 2012-13, which starts on April next, was presented in parliament by Trivedi four days ago which, among other things, effect a stiff across-the-board hike in passenger fare, drawing condemnation from Trinamool Congress and Mamata.
On Friday last, Mamata had faxed a letter to Singh seeking the removal of THvedi and replacing him by her trusted aide Mukul Roy, who is now a junior federal minister
in shipping ministry.
Roy is expected to be the new railway minister with cabinet status.
Trivedi, an industrialistlawmaker who hails from western state of Gujarat, had yesterday said that he wanted a communication in writing from Mamata that she wanted him to quit as railway minister, a demand rejected by Trinamool Congress.
Yesterday, THvedi said he spoke to Mamata to clear the “confusion” created by flipflop statements from THnamool Congress' parliamentary party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay about what the party wantedTrivedi to do.