She was conspicuous by her absence. Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was not present in the Lok Sabha when the opposition members forced an adjournment on Tuesday, raising several issues, including the Mumbai motormen's strike.
More than 1,000 motormen from Mumbai's central and western railway, which form the backbone of the city, had gone on a hunger strike for the past 30 hours.
The strike was called off by the motormen after the authorities assured them that their demands will be addressed by June 15.
As Mumbai was crippled by the strike and the city administration groped for a solution, angry questions were raised regarding Banerjee's whereabouts.
Mukul Roy, minister of state for shipping, and one of Banerjee's trusted colleagues, told rediff.com on Tuesday afternoon, "Didi is at home parleying with her partymen."
Banerjee was scheduled to address a press conference today at 4.30 pm, but it was cancelled. She will address the press on Wednesday at 4.30 pm.
Meanwhile, Speaker Meira Kumar said since the Cabinet was collectively responsible, his colleagues could carry out the task of the minister not present.
"Since it is the collective responsibility of the Cabinet, some other minister or the minister of state can fulfill the responsibility (of the minister not present in the House) during Question Hour or when required," Kumar told the media outside Parliament House.
The railway minister was not present in the House during discussion on motormen's strike in Mumbai as she is in Kolkata in connection with municipal polls.
She said if it was urgent, ministers do not attend the proceedings. "Out of courtesy, they inform us before leaving," Kumar added.
When asked whether Banerjee had informed her before leaving for Kolkata, she said, "She always does."
With the Kolkata municipal elections being just round the corner, former Kolkata mayor and a Congress veteran Subrata Mukherjee announced his decision to join the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday.
Mukherjee cited Congress' failure to strike an alliance with the Trinamool Congress prior to the municipal election as the reason for his floor-crossing.
According to Didi's detractors, "Banerjee has her hands full with the pre-municipal polls and she is just not bothered about what is happening in the rest of the country."
Needless to mention that such an 'irresponsible' behaviour was not expected of the railway minister at a time when only 20 percent of Mumbai's trains were functional.
India's bustling commercial capital had come to a standstill with roads jammed with vehicular transport and there had been no attempt of intervention from the railway minister to resolve the issue.
Image: Mamata Banerjee
With PTI inputs
