Bengal Finance Minister skips State Revenue Ministers' meet

The state was represented by officials at the conference which deliberated upon modernisation of land records.

Asked about the absence of Mitra, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who chaired the meeting, said the West Bengal Finance Minister "through an sms" had assured him of his presence in the meeting.

"He sent me an sms day before yesterday saying he wants to make a presentation on what West Bengal is doing on modernisation of land record. I said yes. But he did not turn up," Ramesh said.

Ramesh was asked whether Mitra had communicated yesterday "through sms" his inability to attend the conference.

"Nowadays, messages don't communicate, network problem," he responded in a sarcastic tone, apparently referring to the row over the Prime Minister's message to Mamata and the latter denied having receiving it.

Mamata Banerjee holds the portfolio of Land and Land Reforms but Mitra was authorised to represent the state in the conference.

Trinamool and Congress leaders are already engaged in a war of claims about the other side being incommunicado over the controversial decision of FDI in retail.

The central government says Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had tried to talk to Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee to inform her about FDI decision just before last week's cabinet meeting but she did not receive the call.

Subsequently, a few more attempts were made to ensure that the Prime Minister could talk to Mamata but without success.

However, Mamata said nobody had called her from the Centre.