The Congress leadership got a breather of two days to resolve the crisis that emerged after the All India Trinamool Congress's (AITC) decision to pull the Railway Minister, Mr Dinesh Trivedi, out of the UPA Cabinet.
The West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, Government sources said, is adamant on Mr Trivedi's removal but was ready to wait till the presentation of the general Budget.
Giving enough hints that the party is ready to wait for some more time, AITC's parliamentary party leader and MoS in the Health Ministry, Mr Sudeep Bandopadhyay, said the priority of his party is the roll-back of the rail fare hike.
“Our priority is complete rollback of the hike. How the Government does it, only they have to decide. They can do it after the discussion on the rail budget or before that. It is only the Government which will have to decide,” Mr Bandopadhyay told reporters here.
He told Lok Sabha that the party has not demanded Mr Trivedi's resignation and added that the matter will be discussed between Ms Banerjee and the Prime Minister.
The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, said in the Lok Sabha that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has received a communication from Ms Banerjee on the issue.
“The Railway Minister has not resigned. The Prime Minister has received a communication from Trinamool Congress Chairperson, Ms Mamata Banerjee, which was under active consideration,” Mr Mukherjee added.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, and senior Congressman, Mr Motilal Vora, attended the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.
Mr Bansal later told reporters here in Parliament House that he is confident of numbers required to pass thanksgiving motion for President's speech, railway budget and the general budget in both the Houses “as it is.”
Sources in the Government also indicated that there is no Constitutional requirement that the same Minister who presented the railway budget should answer the discussions on it as well.
“In 2001, Ms Mamata Banerjee resigned as Railway Minister soon after the budget presentation. The reply for the discussions was made by her successor Mr Nitish Kumar,” a Minister said.
The AITC circles indicated that MoS in the Shipping Ministry, Mr Mukul Roy, will replace Mr Trivedi soon after the general Budget.