NEW DELHI: The Congress core committee, which met late on Thursday evening at the Prime Minister’s residence, is expected to decide on Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi’s exit date after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presents the General Budget on Friday.
The Congress seems to have hardened its stand after Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee continued to rally opinion against the UPA government, of which her party is a coalition partner. Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj on Thursday quite pointedly asked the government in Lok Sabha to clarify whether “the Rail Budget is alive or dead” given the fact that the Railway Minister who presented it was about-to-be sacked.
In reply to this, Leader of House Pranab Mukherjee clarified that as the Finance Minister he takes “responsibility’’ for whatever has been proposed in the Rail Budget, which includes the fare hike.
So, there is a possibility that the Congress may retain the portfolio and allow Mukherjee to reply on the debate on the Rail Budget, instead of passing it on to TMC’s Mukul Roy.