Railway Minister Trivedi May Resign

Union Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi is likely to resign over his own party's attack on fare hike in the Railway Budget presented by him in Lok Sabha today. Sources say Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has sent him a message "Either rollback the hike or quit."

Mr Trivedi belongs to the Trinamool Congress, which is headed by Mamata Banerjee who was Railways Minister till she became the Chief Minister of West Bengal in May.  Sources say that Mr Trivedi may have to resign and that Ms Banerjee has been upset with him for some time. Minutes after Mr Trivedi completed his speech outlining the country's Railways Budget in Parliament, his party colleague Sudip Bandopadhyay said, "We are opposing because of our party leader Mamata Banerjee who has taught us to protect interests of poor people.  We have told Dinesh Trivedi to withdraw the hike.  Party has not discussed anything with the minister on the railway budget."  Sources say Mr Trivedi has two choices: resign or withdraw the increased fares for train tickets.

The Rail Minister has defended his bold move, the first in nine years, to raise passenger fares nominally. "It's a nominal hike...I have kept in mind the needs of the aam admi.  Without this small rise in fares, we cannot improve amenities and provide cleaner or safer trains," Mr Trivedi said. Interestingly, first reactions from passengers all over the country have been largely the same - that the fare hike is too nominal to make a dent - they all said they would readily pay a little more for a safer journey. Now the minister has only two options - Either to go by his party diktat or sail along the public opinion.