PM, Sonia, Mamata to take final call on Trivedi: Narayanasamy

Bangalore/New Delhi, Mar 17 (ANI): Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO), V. Narayanasamy, on Saturday said a final decision on retention or removal of Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi would be taken by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee.

Narayanasamy, however, termed the ongoing row surrounding Trivedi's resignation to be an internal matter of the Trinamool Congress.

"It is an internal matter of the Trinamool Congress and it is for them to resolve. Ultimately, the decision will be taken by the honourable Prime Minister, the honourable chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chairperson. Then the decision will be taken by them," he told media in Bangalore.

Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, however, today said that he was ready to step down from his post provided Mamata Banerjee wrote to him asking for his resignation.

Trivedi said the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who is the head of the government, had not asked him to step down from his post.

"Sudip Bandyopadhyay has gone on record on floor of the Lok Sabha that Trinamool Congress has not asked for my resignation. Neither the Prime Minister of India has asked for my resignation. He (Prime Minister) is the captain of the team. And I personally don't understand what is happening. But till time, the matter is absolutely clear, so I have suggested that I do not want to take any verbal thing because for me Parliament has more sanctity than somebody's telephone," said Trivedi.

"So, I have suggested let Mamataji give me a letter so that there is no confusion. Because tomorrow I don't want to say 'we told in Parliament that we are not asking for Dinesh Trivedi's resignation'. Honorable Prime Minister of India, who is the captain of the team, has not even suggested to me all. So, I must carry on my constitutional duty. I don't want to be seen running away from the budget, which I have presented," he added.

Trivedi is in the eye of a storm of his own party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), ever since he presented the Railway Budget for 2012-13.

Trinamool Congress Chief Whip Kalyan Banerjee, who had a telephonic conversation with Trivedi earlier, asked him to resign from the Railway Minister's post and make a gracious exit and not wait to be sacked. (ANI)