West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not campaign any further in Kolkata, said All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien in a tweet on Sunday night.
Amid rising Covid-19 cases in the state, the TMC supremo will only hold one ‘symbolic’ meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city on April 26, O’Brien stated.
Additionally, all election rallies conducted by Banerjee in all districts of the state will not be longer than 30 minutes, he said.
Mamata Banerjee will NOT campaign in Kolkata anymore. Only one ‘symbolic’ meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city on April 26.
Slashes time for all her election rallies in all districts. Restricted to just 30 minutes. #BengalElection2021 #Covid— Derek O’Brien | ‘ (@derekobrienmp) April 18, 2021
Earlier today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that he had suspended all his scheduled poll rallies in West Bengal on account of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Election amid a raging pandemic
On Thursday, CM Banerjee had appealed to the Election Commission to conduct the remaining three phases of the Bengal election in one go to “protect people from further exposure to Covid-19”.
Amid an ongoing pandemic, we firmly opposed @ECISVEEP’s decision to conduct WB polls in 8 phases.
Now, in view of the huge surge in #COVID19 cases, I urge the ECI to consider holding the remaining phases in ONE go. This will protect the people from further exposure to #COVID19.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 15, 2021
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the suggestion in a letter to the Election Commission. The BJP said the election should be held as per the original schedule to ensure a level-playing field for all candidates.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Friday issued an order stating that election rallies and meetings are only to be allowed between 10 am and 7 pm on all campaign days. The silence period for campaign-related gatherings was extended to 72 hours before the end of polling in the three remaining phases of the election.
The three remaining phases of the West Bengal assembly election are to be conducted on April 22, April 26 and April 29 respectively. The votes will be counted on May 2.
Covid in West Bengal
West Bengal on Saturday registered its highest single-day spike of 7,713 new Covid-19 cases taking the tally to 6,51,508. The death toll rose to 10,540 after 34 fresh fatalities were reported.
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Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021/story/mamata-banerjee-will-not-campaign-kolkata-anymore-derek-o-brien-1792398-2021-04-19
