Trivedi quits as Rlys minister; Mukul Roy to replace him

Ending his defiance, Dinesh Trivedi on Sunday night gave in to his party's demand to resign as Railway Minister bringing the curtain down on the five-day drama after he incurred the wrath of Trinamool Congress for hiking passenger fares in the Railway Budget.

"He(Trivedi) called me and he told me that he will abide by the party decision and send his resignation," Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told PTI before heading for Delhi.

She also said that Trivedi told him that he will remain with the party. Trivedi, 61, told reporters in Delhi that he called up Mamata to find out the real position. "She was kind enough to tell me (to resign) and I have a lot of respect for her. I stand by the discipline of the party."

He quoted her as saying that his resignation is a decision of the party and he has to abide by it.

Trivedi's decision came as an anti-climax as he put up a stiff defiance in the last five days refusing to quit unless asked for specifically in writing by Mamata.

Even on Sunday afternoon, he had said he has a constitutional duty to pilot the budget he had presented in Parliament.

Angered by his budget hiking passenger fares, Mamata wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday night and demanded his replacement with another party nominee and Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy.

As she mounted pressure, the Prime Minister and Congress leadership assured her that Trivedi will be replaced in a couple of days after the presentation of general budget on Friday last.