Railway Budget: Dinesh Trivedi didn't talk to me, it's all Congress' gameplan, Mamata Banerjee says

KOLKATA: Railway minister and rebel Trinamool MP Dinesh Trivedi came under fire at the Trinamool Congress legislative party meeting held in Kolkata on Thursday. West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee accused Trivedi of violating the party discipline and posed a question over his allegiance to the party.

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She was displeased that the railway minister had not bothered to intimate the party about his budgetary proposals. "He didn't talk to me, nor did he talk to Mukul Roy," said a fumed Mamata. Mamata reminded the legislators that no one was above party. "No one is above party. Any effort to trounce the party line will be firmly dealt with," she threatened.

In a closed-door meeting that lasted for over 40 minutes, the Trinamool chief said: "The development in the railway ministry is a game plan of the Congress. We will oppose the proposed fare hike."

"I wouldn't mind if there was a fare hike proposal for trains like the Rajdhani Express, or fares of the AC first class. But the proposed fare hike across the board would affect the poor. I do not find any logic in the per- kilometre- fare- hike proposal," said the Trinamool chairperson who was flanked by senior state Trinamool minister Subrata Mukherjee.

Mamata's comment at the legislative party meeting has sparked speculation that the Trinamool Congress might agree to a partial rollback of fares. Though none of the Trinamool MLAs from Bengal was ready to interpret Mamata's mood, but it appears that the Trinamool Congress might agree with the railway budget proposals if the proposed hike in sleeper classes and local trains are withdrawn. However, the union railway minister has given no indication for a partial rollback yet.