Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, announced on Thursday that all of her previously scheduled public meetings have been canceled. The announcement came less than an hour after the Election Commission limited the number of people who could attend a public hearing to 500 in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“On May 2, the results of the West Bengal assembly elections will be announced. After May 5, we will give free COVID vaccine to all Bengal residents over the age of 18,” CM Banerjee declared at a public meeting in Tapan, West Bengal.
Both of the TMC’s scheduled sessions have been canceled, and she will only conduct simulated communications.
Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to speak at four public meetings on Friday, according to the TMC. The first was scheduled for 11 a.m. in Durgapur West, with the second scheduled for 12 p.m. at the Sripur Area Stadium in Bardhaman West. She was then scheduled to canvass for Trinamool Congress candidates in Asansol at 1 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. public meeting in Birbhum.
“In the wake of upsurge in #COVID19 cases across the country and the ECI Order dated 22nd April, 2021, I am cancelling all my pre scheduled meetings and we will reach out to the people virtually. We will be sharing the updated schedule of the virtual meetings shortly,” Mamata Banerjee wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, in light of the COVID safety norms being flouted during the poll campaign in West Bengal, the Election Commission on Thursday banned roadshows and vehicle rallies in the state with immediate effect and said no public meeting of more than 500 people would be permitted. The European Commission’s orders will take effect at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed earlier in the day to cancel his planned visit to West Bengal on Friday in order to attend four election rallies. He later agreed to practically address rallies in Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Kolkata at the behest of the BJP’s Bengal unit.
Following intense backlash over large public meetings at a time when India’s healthcare system is facing the biggest test yet, all political parties, including the TMC, BJP, and Congress, have scaled down their election campaigns.
