This is the work of the Congress, says Mamata: 10 big developmentsDespite Mamata Banerjee's request to the Prime Minister, her party's Dinesh Trivedi has not been dismissed yet as the Railways Minister. For those who missed the political drama through the day, here are the ten big developments of the day.
Would do the same if asked to present budget again: TrivediA day after he proposed a fare hike in the rail budget which has threatened his job, a defiant Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi today said he would repeat the same if he was asked to present the budget again.
Mamata Banerjee has apparently no plans to break up with the Congress. "It's a fight within a family," said her party's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, referring to the unprecedented tension between the two parties, caused by Ms Banerjee's request that her own party man, Dinesh Trivedi, be fired as Railways Minister.
Congress sources: Trinamool adamant on Dinesh Trivedi's removal, will not wait till March 30.
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Trinamool MP on The Buck Stops Here says the change may come by the end of this week.
Trinamool's Firhad Hakim, WB Minister for Urban Development: Dinesh Trivedi a traitor; what Trivedi did is condemnable. No one is above party.
The party will decide everything: Mukul Roy to NDTVDespite a letter from Mamata, the Congress has still not sacked Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. And the man whose name is doing the rounds as a possible replacement to Mr Trivedi, says his party will decide everything.
Mamata slams Dinesh Trivedi at the TMC legislative meet in Kolkata; blames Congress for the situation
The Congress has told Mamata Banerjee that her party man, Dinesh Trivedi, who she wants sacked, will not be asked to exit the Railways Ministry till the end of March. The government wants to minimize the damage caused by Ms Banerjee's request till the union budget is presented and cleared.
Will Congress' relationship status with Mamata change?Exhausted by Mamata Banerjee's diktats that have blocked economic reform, the Congress is deciding whether to reboot the ruling UPA coalition that it leads. Ms Banerjee, unpredictable and temperamental at the best of times, has 19 Lok Sabha MPs. The Congress is increasingly confident that if she is dropped, the UPA will not collapse because Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati will provide external support to the government.
Sources close to Trivedi claim Congress ministers are with him. He has raised prestige of politicians
Dinesh Trivedi to NDTV: The moment my leader or PM asks me, I will resign. No one has asked me to resign.
Dinesh Trivedi to NDTV: I have a duty to get Rail Budget passed
Trinamool flip-flop over Trivedi: Sudip Bandopadhyay speaking to reporters outside Parliament: says Trivedi will be replaced by Mukul Roy, but insists Trinamool hasn't asked Trivedi to resign
Is Trivedi Railways Minister or not? Opposition asks govt to explainIn Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj's words, "Is Dinesh Trivedi the Railway Minister? Is his rail budget dead or alive?"
Is Dinesh Trivedi Railways Minister or not? Opposition asks govt to explainThe opposition today asked the government to clearly state if Dinesh Trivedi is still the country's Railways Minister. The BJP's Sushma Swaraj also asked the government to explain if Mr Trivedi's Railways Budget, presented yesterday, stands. Mr Trivedi was in the House, and was seen smiling.
For those who came in late today: The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha opened to noisy demands from Opposition parties that the government come clean on the status of Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. In Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj's words, "Is Dinesh Trivedi the Railway Minister? Is his rail budget dead or alive?"
In the Rajya Sabha, Ms Swaraj's colleague, Arun Jaitley called it the "theatre of the absurd." Minister Rajiv Shukla said the House would be briefed soon. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon amid chaos.
In the Lok Sabha, too the government faced a slew of questions from the BJP and other parties. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that Mr Trivedi has not resigned yet. However, he confirmed that Mr Trivedi's boss, Mamata Banerjee, who is a key ally in the UPA, has written to the PM asking for Mr Trivedi's dismissal. Mr Mukherjee said the government has not yet taken a decision on her request. However, Sudip Bandhopadhya who is from Ms Banerjee's party said that the Trinamool Congress has not asked for Mr Trivedi to be fired. That comment suggested complete confusion between the government and Mr Trivedi's party about his status.
Outside, Trinamool MPs are holding a dharna against the minister and his new fares.
Dinesh Trivedi who is facing the wrath of his party chief for hiking passenger fares in the Railways Budget he presented yesterday in parliament, is in the Lok Sabha today.
Pranab Mukherjee: The Railway budget is definitely owned by the government. It is approved by the Finance Minister. The finance minister takes the responsibility.
Sushma: Please answer this. Is Dinesh Trivedi still the Rail M? Is his rail budget dead or alive?
CPI gives notice for adjournment in Lok Sabha; demands statement from PM on Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi's removal issue.
Basudeb Acharya of the Left : This is unprecedented. For the first time a minister has been asked to resign after presenting a Budget. Ministers of this government are on dharna outside. There is collective responsibity. We want a clarification from the PM.
