PM Modi & WB CM Mamata have whirlwind meet over Cyclone after 30 min wait; Guv tut-tuts

On his visit to Odisha and West Bengal to review the impact of Cyclone Yaas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met briefly with CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday at the Kalaikunda. PM Modi, who met with CM Naveen Patnaik earlier in the day, had a relatively short meet with the Bengal CM, sources have informed. Sources have informed that Mamata Banerjee and her Chief Secretary arrived 30 minutes late for the review meeting despite being present around the same premises. Governor Jagdeep Dhankar was also present in the review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister. 

The TMC chief appeared to hurry through the meeting as she handed over the review documents and left citing other commitments. Significantly, this was the first meeting between PM Modi and Mamata Banerjee since TMC's recent victory in the Assembly Elections and the ongoing Centre-State spat. The last time PM Modi and Mamata Banerjee faced each other was on January 23 at Kolkata's Victoria Memorial to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, which saw the TMC chief walk off the stage after she declined to make a speech amid chants of 'Jai Shri Ram'. 

Commenting on Mamata Banerjee's decision to cut short the meet, Governor Dhankar criticised the Bengal CM, adding that it would have served the interests of the state and its people for CM and officials to attend the review meeting.  "Confrontational stance ill serves interests of State or democracy. Non-participation by CM and officials not in sync with constitutionalism or rule of law," the Governor tweeted. On the other hand, the Bengal CM said that she met PM Modi after having review meetings in Hingalganj & Sagar to assess the impact of the cyclone. She said that a disaster report has been handed over to the Prime Minister as she has now proceeded to review the relief and restoration work at Digha. 

PM reviews situation in Bengal, Odisha

Earlier in the day, PM Narendra Modi undertook an aerial survey to review the situation in the aftermath of Cyclone Yaas. The aerial survey covered parts of Odisha and West Bengal. In Odisha, PM Modi advised the concerned authorities during the review meeting to ensure that normal life is restored in the affected areas as soon as possible. 

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas to assess the damages caused by the calamity. Though at least three persons have reportedly been killed due to the cyclone, the state administration is yet to confirm the causes of their deaths. Patnaik has announced a seven-day relief for 128 villages in Balasore and Bhadrak districts that were marooned by the tidal surge and heavy downpour on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tidal waves towering to around 12 feet reportedly swept into villages between Talasari and Udaypur as well as from Chandipur to Balaramgadi, besides Bhogarai, Baliapal, Bahanaga, Nilagiri, Balasore Sadar, Basta and Jaleswar in Balasore district.

In Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee held a review meeting on Wednesday after the cyclone completed its landfall process with District Magistrates and Disaster Management Committee at Nabanna to take stock of the situation and assess damages. "We have sent relief worth Rs 1 crore to areas affected by the cyclone and high tide. Will visit areas affected by the cyclone and high tide in Purba Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas on Friday," Mamata Banerjee had said.