NEW DELHI: In the first formal meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Mamata Banerjee became the chief minister of West Bengal, the two leaders discussed the issues of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and availability of vaccines and medicines for the state. 

Although there was no official communication on what transpired between the two leaders at the PM's residence in Lok Kalyan Marg, Delhi, Banerjee latter said that the meet was more of a courtesy visit and during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bengal in May, there was no scope for a one-to-one meeting.

"Post-election, following the protocol we have to meet the PM once. But I also spoke about the Covid situation. I asked him to ensure that West Bengal gets enough vaccine doses. I am not against giving vaccines to other states, but considering the population of Bengal, we need more doses," she told reporters after the meeting.

Banerjee also said that during her meeting she requested him to give her state more COVID-19 vaccines based on its population and also mentioned the issue of the change in West Bengal's name and told him that it was a long pending issue that should be resolved.

While Banerjee refused to say if she discussed the Pegasus project with Modi, she said that the PM should convene an all-party meet on the snooping row and decide on a Supreme Court-led probe.

The CM has already announced forming of an inquiry commission comprising former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur and former Calcutta high court judge Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, to probe into the Pegasus snooping row.

Earlier in the day Banerjee also met Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Anand Sharma, amid signals of increasing unity of opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.