Union railway minister’s exit imminent: sources

The exit of railway minister Dinesh Trivedi seems to be a matter of time with internal pressure increasing on him to quit. Trivedi has been asked by Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee to put in his papers.

Banerjee said he had suggested that Trivedi make an honourable exit, adding that Trivedi knew the party did not want him.

However, the railway minister has hit back and told Kalyan Banerjee that party supremo Mamata Banerjee should give it in writing and he would only resign after receiving a written order.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, he said, "I will abide by the party's decision. If I wanted to stay in my chair, I could have. I don't want to be humiliated like this. I have done my bit. Let them convey it to me properly. I will resign in a day or two."

However, Trinamool MP Kabir Suman, defending Trivedi, said, Trivedi had been honest throughout and had not made a single negative statement, and the manner he was being treated was undemocratic.

Earlier, the Congress party had agreed to remove Trivedi as the railway minister, according to unnamed sources in the Trinamool Congress cited by IBN. However, the sources said the Congress had told Mamata that sacking Trivedi would give him sympathy and make him a hero.