Acting on Ms Banerjee's behalf, party colleague Kalyan Banerjee has reportedly told Mr Trivedi that when he was made Railways Minister, he did not receive written notice; hence it's not required now.
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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