Trivedi is still railway minister, says Congress

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi while interacting with reporters outside Parliament sought to reaffirm that Trivedi is still the railway minister and Parliament will take a decision on the rail budget, which was presented by him on Wednesday.

"Trivedi is the railway minister at the moment. It is a hypothetical question," he said when asked who could be Trivedi replacement.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has opposed the rail budget immediately after it was presented on the grounds of increase in passenger fares.

Responding a query on who will be the next railway minister as Banerjee has asked Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to remove Trivedi, he said, "It is an internal affair (of the government) and it cannot be discussed outside."

On the fate of the rail budget, he said that it has already been presented in Parliament, which will take a decision on it. "The budget has been presented in Parliament. Now Parliament has to decided whether to pass it or not," Alvi said, adding, "It is a coalition government and the Trinamool is part of that coalition."

For Rediff Realtime News on Dinesh Trivedi, click here