I would do the same if asked to present budget again: Trivedi

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A day after proposing fare hike in the rail budget which has threatened his job, a defiant Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi has said he would repeat the same if asked to present the budget again.

Trivedi, whose sacking has been demanded by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, also said neither has he been contacted by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee nor he has spoken to her yet.

"I would do the same if I am asked to present the budget again," Trivedi told reporters in New Delhi.

Trivedi staying till 'end of March'

Unfortunately for Trivedi, his fate as Railway Minister appears to have been sealed with the Congress leadership and TMC boss Mamata Banerjee reportedly reaching an agreement on her demand that he be replaced.

Congress troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee spoke to Mamata today following up on the discussions they had over telephone twice on Wednesday night. TMC Parliamentary Party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay also met Mukherjee in Parliament on Thursday.

But in a strong message to the TMC, Congress is reported to have told Mamata to wait till the Union Budget is 'done and dusted' before a decision on Trivedi.

The government, it appears, does not want to be disturbed till the Union Budget is done and dusted.

'If I have to please party, then I'm not doing my work

Trivedi has in his budget proposed upto 20 per cent passenger fare hike in the rail budget for 2012-13, inviting the wrath of 'pro poor' Mamata Banerjee.

When it was pointed out that the fare hike proposals were contrary to his party's policy, he said, "I have done it for the Railways and the country...not for party. If I have to please my party, then I am not doing my work."

On the possibility of fare hike rollback, Trivedi said 'the budget is in Parliament and I will be guided by Parliament. Parliament will be guided by the wisdom of people'.

Referring to Lokpal, he said 'why Lokpal has come? Because of the wisdom of the people. If Parliament tells me to cut down, then I will say okay I am cutting down on safety. But then do not blame me if something happens on safety'.

'Railway minister not Trinamool's property'

Trivedi also found a supporter in party MP Kabir Suman, who not only supported the rail fare hikes but also asserted that the railway minister was not the party's property.

"The railway ministry is a very big ministry. A railway minister has to run it properly. The budget is so vast that it can easily surpass the general budget of some nations. The railway ministry is not a place of personal catfights," said Suman, who is known for his frequent off-the-cuff remarks.

"To remove someone if he is not following the party line and replace him with somebody else is not good for democracy. It dosen't look decent when the budget session is going on. The moment Dinesh Trivedi took over as railway minister nobody should consider him the property of a party," Suman added.

Pranab says Trivedi has 'not resigned'

Facing questions from Opposition over the controversy surrounding Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, government on Thursday said he had not resigned but a 'communication' had been received from Mamata and it was under 'active consideration'.

The assertion by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha came alongside a statement from Trinamool Congress making it clear that it would not rock the boat and the government would continue its full term.

Trivedi, who was earlier thought to have resigned, did not speak in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. But he smiled when Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the house that he (Trivedi) had not resigned.

Mukherjee also told the Lok Sabha that the railway budget was now the property of the house, which would vote on the proposals.