Dikshit's late-night letter convinced Sreedharan to stay

It was a late-night letter from Delhi chief minister Shiela Dikshit that apparently made E Sreedharan change his mind and continue as managing director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Sreedharan, who resigned yesterday owning moral responsibility for the accident at a metro railway construction site near South Delhi in which six persons were killed, withdrew his resignation today.

"Sreedharan has decided to withdraw his resignation in view of the letter received last night from Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit," DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal told reporters here.

Dikshit had yesterday rejected Sreedharan's resignation, saying his decision would affect the future of the organisation.

A source said the letter from Dikshit, whom Sreedharan holds in high regard, led the 77-year-old engineer to change his mind and stay as chief of the capital's modern transport system.

"He has high regard for the chief minister and we all believe that only the letter from Dikshit would have made him change his mind," the source said.

Sreedharan, known for his no-nonsense approach, came to office today and even attended the weekly Monday meeting besides visiting the site of the accident three times.

He said a four-member committee will go into all aspects of the incident that led to the death of six persons.