Calcutta, Feb. 25: The mountain will go to Modi, after all.

Mamata Banerjee has sought an appointment with Narendra Modi to discuss a demand for debt waiver, ending nine months of refusal to have any direct communication with the Prime Minister.

"I have written to the Prime Minister to consider waiver of the debt burden on us immediately. I have sought an appointment to meet him along with a delegation of my members of Parliament to discuss this issue," Mamata posted on her Facebook page this evening.

The disclosure came a day after the Centre accepted almost all the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission that offered more funds to Bengal but turned down the demand for either a debt write-off or a moratorium on repayments.

Since debt waiver is the prerogative of the commission, not the executive leadership, Mamata's decision to seek an audience with Modi suggests she is using the economic cover to attempt a course correction.

Mamata has steadfastly refused to officially interact with Modi - they did come face to face but that was by coincidence at a reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan - although other "secular" leaders such as Manik Sarkar of Tripura, Arvind Kejriwal of Delhi and Oommen Chandy of Kerala have had official engagements with the Prime Minister.

Last Sunday, when Mamata was in Patna, Modi's bitter critic Nitish Kumar had said soon after returning as Bihar chief minister: "Our political rivalry stands where it is, but governments must work together, we have expectations from the Centre and I shall readily work with the Prime Minister in the interests of the state."

Mamata has been demanding a moratorium on the payout to the Centre - which includes payment of interest on past loans and part payment of the principal - for three years, accusing the Left regime of leaving the state finances in a mess.

While moratorium means a pause on the payout, waiver stands for dropping the claim on past borrowings and the accrued interest. "I think she meant moratorium," said a source at Nabanna, referring to the "waiver" in Mamata's Facebook post.

That Mamata intends to persist - against odds - with her demand for debt relief suggests she is not happy with the constitutional body's decision although Bengal is likely to get almost Rs 20,000 crore more next year from a higher tax share and a special grant.

In contrast, Asim Dasgupta, who was finance minister when the Left was in power, has appreciated the Finance Commission's recommendation to raise the share of central taxes for the states to 42 per cent from 32 per cent.

Dasgupta pointed out that the erstwhile Left Front government had led the demand to raise the share of central taxes for the states to at least 50 per cent. "Although this does not fully satisfy our demand, it is a good increase and I want to call it a progressive Finance Commission," Dasgupta added.

He, however, stressed that the funds would have to be properly used for "social gains" for the people of the state.

Mamata's decision to seek an appointment with Modi also stands out against the backdrop of her criticism when Sarkar, the Tripura chief minister and CPM veteran, met the Prime Minister. Mamata had then accused the Left party of joining hands with the BJP to fight Trinamul.

"It appears that she has finally realised that ignoring Modi would not work in her favour. So, she is trying to establish a channel of communication with Modi," said a Trinamul source.

The change of course comes at a time Mamata has been battling a crisis within her party and the Saradha scandal. It also follows the Delhi Assembly poll results that have dented the shield of invincibility around Modi.

Although Modi does not have too much wiggle room to offer Mamata a debt relief, another topic that will be of interest to both is Bangladesh. Mamata has just returned from the neighbouring country after making positive but vague noises on the Teesta waters.

"She tried hard to get an invitation from Bangladesh and then went there and announced that she would try to resolve the Teesta impasse. The Prime Minister is also keen to settle the Teesta issue and the chief minister may use it to bargain a deal for Bengal," said an official at Nabanna.