The Hindu : Advani seeks Buddhadeb views on rly. bifurcation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 05, 2002

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Advani seeks Buddhadeb views on rly. bifurcation

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA JULY 4. The Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, L.K. Advani, today sought West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's views on the proposed controversial bifurcation of the Eastern Railway.

Mr. Bhattacharjee told Mr. Advani over the telephone that he would express his views on the subject when he visited Delhi to attend the CPI(M) politburo meeting on July 6.

Mr. Advani's phone call led to the speculation that Mr. Advani who was so long backing the Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar, was now trying to defuse the situation by getting the Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee, co-opted into the Cabinet. A feeling gained ground that Mr. Advani might try to convince Mr. Kumar to restructure his bifurcation move and keep the eastern zone out of it. The bifurcation issue has become controversial with Ms. Banerjee refusing to join the Vajpayee Government at the Centre on the grounds that the proposed division was "politically motivated''. She has urged the Prime Minister to review the decision.

The State's ruling leftists along with Ms. Banerjee's Trinamool Congress are opposed to the proposed division of the Eastern Railway. In fact, the Left Front MPs, as also Sudip Bandopadhyay, Trinamool MP, walked out of Wednesday's railway standing committee meeting after recording their protest against the bifurcation move.

The West Bengal Assembly has adopted an all-party resolution opposing the move and an all-party delegation would meet the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee and the Railway Minister next week to register its protest.

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