Trivedi resigns; to attend party meet

West Bengal chief minister and Tiranmool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee arrived in Delhi last night after ensuring that railway minister Dinesh Trivedi resigned. She was accompanied by Mukul Roy, the man whom she wants as Trivedi's replacement.

Trivedi resigned last night even as Banerjee left for Delhi in the evening to chair a meeting of her parliamentary party, a move meant to pressure the government into sacking Trivedi.

According to sources Trivedi met prime minister Manmohan Singh and handed in his resignation, after having a telephonic conversation with Mamata. He reportedly told Mamata that he would, continue to function as a Trinamool MP.

Earlier in the day, Trivedi told reporters that railways was nobody's fiefdom but he would have no problem putting in his papers if the prime minister so demanded or if Mamata asked for it in writing.

He said he did not want to stick to the ministry neither did he want to run away. He added that the prime minister had to decide on it and there should be no politics with the ministry.

On Banerjee's insistence on his resignation following the rail budget, he said he regarded her highly adding that she was a good human being and a great leader. He said it was very much in her right to have her opinion, and he respected her opinion.