Trivedi has not resigned: Govt

Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi has not resigned, the government clarified in parliament Thursday.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Lok Sabha that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had not received any resignation, but only a letter from Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee late Wednesday.

"As soon as a decision is taken, the house will be informed," he said.

Giving out the same message in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said: "PM has not received any resignation from railway minister. We have received a communication from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but no decision has been taken. The house will be informed when any decision is taken."

Speculation about the resignation of Trivedi, who was in the Lok Sabha, rocked the lower house with Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and other opposition leaders issuing a notice to suspend question hour to discuss the issue.

However, Speaker Meira Kumar disallowed the notice saying there was no rule under which this demand could be met.

Banerjee has sought to replace Trivedi with her loyalist, Minister of State for Transport Mukul Roy.

Trivedi had earned the wrath of Banerjee after he hiked passenger fares in the railway budget he presented to parliament Wednesday.