Modi says Mamata would have bought PM's post if it was up for auction from Saradha-Narada scam money

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday took a sharp jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the PM's post is not up for auction that it can be bought with the money looted from "Narada, Saradha" scams.

Observing that Banerjee is "dreaming" of becoming the prime minister, Modi also ridiculed the TMC chief's 'Bengal model of development', which she plans to implement across the country if voted to power, as the "Tolabaji (extortion) model".

Banerjee, one of the most strident critics of the BJP, has been saying that Bengal and Trinamool Congress(TMC) will play an important role in the formation of the next government at the Centre. She had also organised a rally of opposition parties in Kolkata in January.

Modi said he felt "pity" for Banerjee as the PM's post can never be bought by money looted in Saradha and Narada scams.

"To become the PM of a vast country like India a person has to earn the respect and blessings of its 130 crore people," he said at a poll rally in this industrial hub where Union Minister Babul Supriyo will take on actor-turned politician Moon Moon Sen of TMC in a four-cornered fight.

"By fighting in just a handful of seats, Didi (Banerjee) is dreaming of becoming the prime minister. If the post of the prime minister could be bought in auctions, then Congress and Didi would have bought it with the money they've looted from the country.

"Didi, the prime minister's post is not available for auction that you can buy it with the money earned in Saradha, Narada (scams)," Modi said in his broadside. The TMC is contesting all the 42 seats in the state.

Harping on "rampant corruption and crimes" in the state, Modi said the TMC is competing with the Congress to break its record of corruption. "Under speed breaker Didi only corruption and crime are the two non-stop things in Bengal.

He said, "Before 2014, the Congress government had made a record of corruption. Today, the TMC government is giving tough competition to the Congress. Corruption and crime are non-stop under TMC rule."