Mamata responds to PM Modi's 'didi sends me kurtas' revelation

In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's revelation that Mamata Banerjee sends him kurtas and sweets every year, the West Bengal Chief Minister said she might send gifts and sweets to people on occasions but will not give them vote.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. PTI Photo

SERAMPORE (WEST BENGAL): In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's revelation that Mamata Banerjee sends him kurtas and sweets every year, the West Bengal Chief Minister said she might send gifts and sweets to people on occasions but will not give them vote. "I send rosogollas to people. I do send them gifts during pujas and offer tea, but will not give (them) a single vote," IANS quoted Banerjee as saying without naming the Prime Minister, during an election rally here in Hoogly district. In a candid interview with actor Akshay Kumar, Modi revealed that Banerjee, otherwise one of his most vocal critic, herself selects kurtas and gifts them to him every year. "The fact might go against me politically, but Mamata didi and I share cordial relationship outside political arena and despite all the rivalry, didi personally selects and sends me kurtas every year," Modi said. "She also sends me sweets as she knows I am fond of Bengali sweets." Both Modi and Banerjee have been seen recently hitting out at each other with prime minister calling the TMC chief "speed breaker didi" and she hitting back with "expiry babu" jibe. In the same rally,  Banerjee alleged the prime minister is using black money made white during note ban to buy votes, fighting fire with fire a day after Narendra Modi's jibe that the PM's post was not up for auction that it can be bought with the money looted from "Narada, Saradha" scams. "Modi Babu you may forcibly impose notebandi (demonetisation) on people to convert black money into white and spend them during elections to purchase votes, but you can never purchase voters in Bengal," Banerjee said. "You (Modi) are destined to be dethroned after the elections. Our government will prove that a big scam demonetisation was," the TMC supremo said. (With inputs from IANS)