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‘Politics or Covid’: TMC asks BJP’s priority, wants remaining polls in one phase
Derek O'Brien’s remark comes a day before West Bengal is set to hold the fifth phase of assembly elections on Saturday.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien Friday said his party wants the remaining phases of West Bengal assembly elections to be conducted in a single phase due to the soaring cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). He also requested the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to make its stance clear on the issue.
“TMC's position is clear, we want remaining elections to be held in one phase. I request BJP to make their position clear. Do they agree with us that politics is a second priority, first is handling the Covid-19 pandemic?” the TMC leader told news agency ANI.
Derek O'Brien’s remark comes a day before West Bengal is set to hold the fifth phase of assembly elections on Saturday. As huge crowds were seen during poll rallies, chief minister Mamata Banerjee trained guns at the BJP saying it brought people from "worst-hit" states like Gujarat for erecting marquees for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies, news agency PTI reported.
Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee said, “I will tell the EC to stop the inflow of outsiders from states like Gujarat who are responsible for the Covid-19 spread in Bengal.” She said she would urge Election Commission to not allow “outsiders” into the state without a negative RT-PCR report for Covid-19.
“Thousands of people are coming from outside the state when there is a Modi rally to organise the programme, and build the stage and pandals. All hotels and guest houses are being booked. How do I know whether they are Covid infected? They don’t undergo any RT-PCR test,” she said at a public rally in North 24 Parganas.
After Saturday's voting, the state will see three more phases of voting on April 22, 26 and 29.
Mamata Banerjee had also requested the Election Commission to hold the remaining polls in one phase. “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,” she wrote on Twitter on Thursday. A senior official of the poll panel, however, said that there are no plans at present to hold the remaining phases in one go.
West Bengal reported 6,769 new cases on Thursday, the highest daily spike since the pandemic began in early 2020.
