Mukul Roy skips first Cabinet meeting

Railway Minister Mukul Roy, who was inducted into the Union Cabinet on Tuesday, skipped his first Cabinet meeting here on Friday.

Mr. Roy withdrew the proposed hike in lower category fares in the Railway budget, which his predecessor, Dinesh Trivedi, presented, and ensured its passage in Parliament on Thursday.

The Minister is said to have returned to West Bengal, his home State. Sources said he was likely to call on Trinamool Congress chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr. Trivedi, too, after assuming office, had skipped his first Cabinet meeting and attended a party rally in Kolkata then.