Cyclone Fani at centre of storm: Modi tried calling Mamata Banerjee but calls not returned

New Delhi, May 05: As the sky cleared after Cyclone Fani, politics returned to the centre stage in West Bengal with the Trinamool Congress and the BJP whipping up a storm over Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly omitting Mamata Banerjee from the list of government functionaries he spoke to on the calamity.

On Saturday, the Trinamool Congress had claimed that Modi had called up Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, but did not phone West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to discuss rescue and rehabilitation operations.

Modi had on Saturday tried to contact West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to discuss cyclone Fani but could not do so as his calls were not returned, a top government official has said.

The party had claimed that PM Modi only spoke to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi about the post-Fani situation in the state.

However, the Centre has now rubbished the reports.

Sources in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Sunday dismissed media reports that Modi spoke to West Bengal governor and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik about Cyclone Fani and not to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PMO sources added that two attempts were made to connect PM Modi to West Bengal CM but to no avail.

"Attention has been drawn to reports in a section of media,that TMC has expressed its displeasure at PM Modi speaking only to WB Governor,about the post-Fani situation in the state. TMC have claimed that the PM had called Odisha¬ WB CM. The claim is incorrect," PMO sources were quoted as saying by ANI.

Cyclone Fani barrelled through Odisha on Friday, unleashing copious rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kmph, killing at least eight people, blowing away thatched houses and swamping towns and villages, officials said.