Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused 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 the Bengal chief minister 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 Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the 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 here.

“Speedbreaker 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,” he said.

His comments came in the backdrop of the Trinamul hitting out at Modi for calling governor Keshari Nath Tripathi instead of talking to the chief minister to enquire about the ground situation in the wake of cyclone Fani on Friday.

Criticising Mamata for not praising the efforts of the Union government that led to the UN designating Azhar as a global terrorist, he claimed that the Trinamul chief “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,” he said.

Modi dares Mamata

Modi on Monday dared Mamata to arrest him for chanting Jai Shri Ram, a day after three people were taken into police custody in Ghatal Lok Sabha seat for allegedly mouthing the slogan as her convoy passed by. A video showing Mamata fuming at some villagers in West Midnapore district for chanting Jai Shri Ram along a highway on Saturday afternoon has gone viral on social media.

Modi was speaking in Jhargram.

Modi also said: “Didi is banking on her mahamilawat gang to become the Prime Minister of the country. Her dream of becoming the Prime Minister has already gone for a toss. Mamata won't be able to bag even 10 seats in Bengal.”