Mamata was aware of the fare hike before Railway Budget: Sources

New Delhi/Kolkata:  In the midst of all the noise that she has made over demanding the removal of party man Dinesh Trivedi as Railways Minister over the hike in passenger fares, it has now emerged that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was reportedly aware of the proposed increase in rates before the Railways Budget.

Sources have told NDTV that Ms Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, and Gautam Sanyal, who is her Special Secretary were in the loop of the politically-sensitive decision. Not just that, leaders from the Opposition, sources say, were also asked for their views on the Budget before the hike in fares was finalised. Most leaders, cutting across party lines, admitted that an increase in fares was inevitable, sources add.

The revelation would come as a huge embarrassment for Ms Banerjee, who has been stinging in her criticism of Mr Trivedi and is adamant over his removal as the Railways Minister over the hike in fares. Her accusations of "betrayal" levelled against Mr Trivedi could also fall flat given the fact that she had reportedly been consulted over the hike - a bold move and the first in nine years that has put Mr Trivedi in the eye of a storm after he presented his maiden Railways Budget on Wednesday.

But the minister seems unfazed. As the government contemplates over Ms Banerjee's demand for his ouster, Mr Trivedi said, ""I expect the PM to do what the PM should do". He has also refused to resign as Railways Minister till he receives orders in writing from his party chief, Ms Banerjee. "Till the time the matter is absolutely clear, I have suggested I do not want to take anything verbal. For me, Parliament has more sanctity than anything. So, I suggested let Mamata write me a letter so that there is no confusion...I will perform my duty as a Railway Minister," Mr Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi today.

Acting on Ms Banerjee's behalf, party colleague Kalyan Banerjee, earlier in the day, reportedly told Mr Trivedi that when he was made Railways Minister, he did not receive written notice; hence it was not required now. Something that was reiterated by senior party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay who said that there will be nothing in writing to Dinesh Trivedi. 

Since Ms Banerjee wrote to the PM asking for Mr Trivedi's removal, he has defied her repeatedly. He has attended Parliament and refused to rollback the hike in passenger fares that led to her demanding his dismissal. On record, he has been deferential, stating that he will quit as soon as Ms Banerjee requests. The two have reportedly not spoken directly since Mr Trivedi presented his Rail Budget on Wednesday.

Ms Banerjee has said repeatedly that she wants Mukul Roy, also from her party, to be made the new Railways Minister. The Congress had asked her to wait till March 30 when Parliament breaks to make the change. She has allegedly indicated that is not acceptable. Today in Kolkata she said, "Mukul Roy will be next Railways Minister. He has been a Trinamool MP for six years already. He has been re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. He is a good worker. Now the government will have to decide."

However last night, it appeared that Ms Banerjee had lifted that deadline. "It is nothing to be hurried, nothing to be worried. The issue is being dealt with by the PM and Mamata," said Sudip Bandhopadhyay, who is from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He added that the Prime Minister and Ms Banerjee spoke on Thursday night.

The lifting of the deadline for Mr Trivedi's removal suggested that Ms Banerjee was not immune to reports that the Congress has been considering replacing her in the ruling coalition at the Centre with Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party MPs.

Sources in both the Congress and Ms Banerjee's party say that both sides are also close to resolving another large dispute. On Monday, in Parliament, the Prime Minister will address some of the concerns raised by Ms Banerjee to the new National Counter Terror Centre or NCTC. Ms Banerjee has said the NCTC's powers violate the autonomy of state governments and federalism. Her party moved amendments to the President's address to Parliament earlier this week, asking for a reference to the NCTC to be deleted. The President's address outlines the government's agenda; allies rarely ask for amendments. The BJP has moved similar amendments on the NCTC, and is likely to press for a vote. That could put Ms Banerjee's MPs in the awkward position of voting with the BJP and against the government. The PM, in his reply to the motion of thanks to the President's address on Monday, is expected to assuage Ms Banerjee's fears about the NCTC. That could help diffuse at least some of the tension between the political partners.

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Mamata Banerjee has her way, PM to sack Dinesh Trivedi: Sources

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Mamata wins, Dinesh Trivedi resigns, rollback of fare hike soon: Sources

New Delhi:  Mamata Banerjee has proved that in its current state, the Congress cannot refuse any demand she presents. The Prime Minister will agree, say sources, that her own party colleague, Dinesh Trivedi, will be fired as Railways Minister. Sources also say Mr Trivedi has sent in his resignation to the PM. Ms Banerjee is punishing Mr Trivedi for announcing a nominal hike in passenger fares on Wednesday. The Railways budget he presented in Parliament had been described by the PM as progressive and modern. (Read: Who is Dinesh Trivedi?)

Ms Banerjee disagreed vehemently. She wrote to the Prime Minister earlier on Wednesday night asking for Mr Trivedi to be replaced by Mukul Roy, a union minister from her party. She also wants the government to reverse the hike in passenger fares announced by Mr Trivedi in Parliament today as he shared the Railways budget. Sources say the rollback might happen after March 16 - the day Union Budget will be presented in Parliament. The Congress' senior most leaders met tonight at the Prime Minister's residence where it was decided that its upto Ms Banerjee to decide her nominee to the union cabinet - she has suggested her party's Mukul Roy, currently a union minister. Mr Trivedi's removal will make political history - this is the first time that a minister will be fired even before Parliament debates his budget. (Read: Full text of Dinesh Trivedi speech on Railway Budget 2012)   

The Congress has decided to accelerate its courtship of Mulayam Singh Yadav as a possible replacement for Ms Banerjee, who has whipped the government into submission on many occasions because her 19 Lok Sabha MPs make her essential to the survival of the coalition. Mr Yadav's 22 MPs make him a viable option and he has often rescued the government by voting in its favour on crucial legislation. So senior Congress leaders like Pawan Bansal will attend the swearing-in today of his son, Akhilesh, as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.    

Mr  Trivedi said earlier today that he had done his duty and "now it is upto God."  The hike in fares he announced were nominal, ranging from two paise per kilometre to 30 paise per kilometre. This is the first hike in fares in nine years.  In a lengthy interview to NDTV this evening, he suggested that he was prepared for his dismissal. Mr Trivedi acknowledged that he had not briefed Ms Banerjee about the hike in fares. (Highlights - No clue why my party reacted this way: Dinesh Trivedi to NDTV)

Internally, say sources, the Trinamool Congress believes that if they don't oppose this hike they will find it difficult to object to the next petrol or diesel price hike - something they have done in the past to prove they stand for the aam admi or common man. (Railway Budget 2012 highlights)

Mr Trivedi was attacked by his own party immediately after he had presented his first rail budget. First, the Trinamool's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien, tweeted, "Railway Budget... what was all that about increasing fares across the board? Upper class... maybe ok... but all? Sorry, cannot agree." Then, fellow TMC minister Sudip Bandopadhyay demanded that the hike be withdrawn. "We are opposing because of our party leader Mamata Banerjee who has taught us to protect interests of poor people."

The final word from Ms Banerjee came a little after 4 pm; she declared at a rally in Nandigram in Bengal, "We will not accept the hike, be sure of that." Ms Banerjee then headed back to Kolkata and reportedly wrote to the PM at around 8.30 in the evening asking that Mr Trivedi be removed. She has also summoned Mr Trivedi to Kolkata.  

Earlier today, sources said that Mr Trivedi had been ordered by Ms Banerjee to either resign or roll back the increased prices. He had indicated that he would not change his mind. Referring to the precarious financial health of the railways, he said, "The railways was getting into the ICU and I have pulled it out of ICU. You cannot have everything together." (Full transcript: Dinesh Trivedi speaks to NDTV)

Sources say Ms Banerjee has been upset with Mr Trivedi for a while now, possibly because of his perceived closeness to the Congress. He also ran into trouble last week when he said that his party may not be opposed to early general elections, which means the UPA would not last its full term. Ms Banerjee later said that her MPs had been asked not to express their personal views.

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