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Nitish politicking on Eastern Railways bifurcation: Trinamool

Continuing its tirade against Union Minister for Railways Nitish Kumar, the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday accused him of 'politicking' on the Eastern Railways bifurcation which, it said, would only lead to tension between West Bengal and Bihar.

As part of its agitation against the bifurcation, the Trinamool Youth Congress demonstrated before the Eastern Railways headquarters.

Addressing the demonstrators, Trinamool leader Pankaj Banerjee accused the minister of taking a 'unilateral' decision on the bifurcation leading to tension between the two neighbouring states.

Claiming that the prime minister and the deputy prime minister were concerned about the situation stemming from the bifurcation, he said his party would not accept it.

Trinamool Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhyay, a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the railways ministry, alleged that no discussion was held in the committee on the bifurcation.

He claimed that even the CAG had opposed the bifurcation of the Eastern Railways.

Referring to criticism that Mamata Banerjee during her tenure as railways minister, had not taken any step to stall the bifurcation Bandopadhyay said he had raised the issue twice at the meeting of the Union Cabinet.

Bandopadhyay said, "Subsequently, the proposal was kept in abeyance since the Cabinet thought it would not be economically viable."

Alleging that Kumar revived the issue to 'do politics by playing the provincial card', he expressed the hope that the prime minister would take steps to stall the move.

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