Kolkata: Justifying her neglect of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two phone calls and an assessment meeting on Cyclone Fani relief operation in West Bengal, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said she does not treat him as a PM anymore. She made it clear that she would not share the dais with him during an election.
Ms Mamata further clarified that she was unable to receive Mr Modi’s calls made to her office as she was then camping at Kharagpur to closely monitor the Cyclone Fani in the state.
Returning the PM’s allegation against her of indulging in politics, the chief minister claimed that it was Mr Modi who was playing politics over the natural calamity during the Lok Sabha polls.
Ms Banerjee asserted that she would have attended the meeting with Mr Modi if the election was not under way. Calling Mr Modi’s assessment meeting, which could not take place, as a “show-off” in the aftermath of the cyclone, she reasoned that she was not in Kolkata when the Prime Minister’s Office called up the chief minister’s office.
Addressing a Lok Sabha election campaign rally in West Midnapore, the chief minister alleged, “The expiry PM is indulging in politics. He would hold a meeting merely as a show-off.”
Ms Banerjee said, “Let me tell you, PM, when you were talking of Kolkata, I was at Kharagpur. I was not in Kolkata. So there was not any scope to talk to you from Kolkata. Secondly, you share everything on Twitter for publicity before having a talk. I?”
The Trinamul chief reasoned, “I would have gone to attend the meeting had you not come here for an election rally. I will not share the dais with you during an election.”
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