Modi skips comparison with Mamata

Narendra-ModiKolkata, April 9 : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi refused to be drawn into comparisons between him and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee during a meeting with industrialists here Tuesday.

Refusing to compare his state with West Bengal, the BJP leader said: "The media only wants Modi to talk about one aspect. I have not come here for this. I do that only during elections."

Modi, widely touted as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, tried to woo Trinamool Congress chief Banerjee. He said he was sure that Banerjee would meet the aspirations of the people of West Bengal.

Modi ducked a question from the audience when asked about his probable suggestions to Banerjee for transforming Kolkata into London.

"I have come here as a student. I am learning from Bengal," Modi said.

"We have seen the difference between the (two) governments. The Gujarat model is a complete model. If governance is good, politics can be taken care of," Kolkata-based Keventor Group chairman M. K. Jalan told reporters.

Asked about the differences between the two governments, Jalan said: "Modi's office is accessible. He is available. Here (in Bengal) there is no window. If you have any problem, you cannot go anywhere."

Jalan said Modi urged all entrepreneurs to invest in his state.

Videocon Group chairman Venugopal Dhoot, who also met Modi, said: "Didi (Banerjee) can learn from Modi and Modi can learn from Didi (Banerjee)."

"Mamata Banerjee's land policy is better because she wants farmers to be paid more for their land. Modi said that he would not interfere in acquiring land from farmers," Dhoot said.

"Modi knows that he does not have any land policy. At least West Bengal has a land policy," he added.(IANS)