The Bengal BJP has demanded that elections to four municipal corporations, scheduled in the state on January 22, be deferred by at least a month. Meanwhile, the Left Front in the state has also written to the State Election Commission asking for an all-party meeting on the holding of elections. On Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the next 15 days are crucial considering the surge in Covid infections.
"On behalf of the party (BJP Bengal), we are demanding that the elections be deferred by a month," Samik Bhattacharya, BJP's state chief spokesperson said on Friday. Bhattacharya referred to the chief minister's statement made on Thursday.
The infections are surging, around 500 doctors in government hospitals are infected, 40 per cent of nurses, health workers, and even journalists (routinely covering the BJP), police personnel have got affected, he said, adding that in such a situation, elections are being held.
The situation is frightening, and in Bidhannagar, adjacent to Kolkata, which is one of the four municipal areas where elections are due, 24 micro containment zones have been created.
"When contestants approach voters and ring the call bell, they are told that people are infected, and it's not possible to say if they will be able to cast votes," Bhattacharya said. People have a constitutional right to life, and elections should be held taking people into account. What's vote for, if voters don't turn out," he added.
Meanwhile, the Left Front has written to the State Election Commission seeking an all-party meet on holding of elections under the given circumstances. Biman Bose, chairman of the Left Front's committee, West Bengal, in the letter, also stated that health experts be consulted to assess how severe the present situation could become.
Trinamool MP in Rajya Sabha Sukhendu Sekhar Roy alleged that such a demand is because of the fear of losing elections, and he asked why there is no such demand to halt elections in the five states. Referring to the chief minister's comments, Roy said that what Mamata indicated is that if Covid norms are followed properly, then the rise in infections could perhaps be curbed over the next 15 days. Political specialists say that the BJP, who faced defeat in the previous elections, are trying to mislead people by suggesting that there will not be coronavirus after a month, he added.
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