Speed-breaker Mamata didn't speak to me on Cyclone Fani: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of pursuing "cheap politics" over Cyclone Fani, claiming that she did not speak to him when he tried to contact her to talk about the calamity.

Modi also criticised Banerjee for not hailing the designation of Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by the UN as she is "afraid that it might affect her vote bank politics".

"I am just back from Odisha after reviewing the post-cyclone situation. I also wanted to speak to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over phone to discuss the issue. I had called her, but Didi is so arrogant that she didn't speak to me. I waited for her call, but she didn't get back to me," he said while addressing a rally in Tamluk, West Bengal.

"Speed-breaker Didi was more interested in doing politics. I wanted to speak to the state officials, but the state government did not allow that to happen," Modi said.

His comments came in the backdrop of the TMC hitting out at Modi for calling state Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi instead of talking to Banerjee to inquire about the ground situation in the wake of Cyclone Fani on Friday.

Criticising Banerjee for not praising the efforts of the Union government that led to the UN designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, he claimed Banerjee "was afraid that it might affect her vote bank in the state".

"The condition in Bengal is such that if you chant Jai Shri Ram, you would be put behind bars," Modi said.