Kolkata: As the country witnesses an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other union ministers will hold only small public meetings with not more than 500 people in West Bengal where campaigning has gained momentum for the remaining phases of the assembly elections.
The BJP, which is this time locked in a fierce electoral battle with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the throne of West Bengal, added all these public meetings will be held in open spaces following Covid-19 guidelines.
This comes as Prime Minister Modi has been drawing flak across the political spectrum for holding large election rallies as the country’s health system reels from a toxic wave of coronavirus cases.
Earlier in the day, the TMC supremo announced not to hold any public rallies in Kolkata for the remaining three phases of the assembly elections.
Banerjee had earlier appealed to the Election Commission to conduct the remaining three phases in one go to “protect the people from further exposure to Covid-19”.
Meanwhile, the high-decibel campaign for the sixth phase in 43 assembly constituencies spread over four districts of the state on April 22 came to an end this evening.
READ: Mamata Draws PM Modi’s Attention To ‘Focused And Aggressive Vaccination’ To Tackle Covid-19
West Bengal is voting in eight phases this time. The results will be declared on May 2.