Kolkata: Due to the sudden rise in Covid cases in the entire state especially in Kolkata, the political activities are suddenly taking the back seat even though four districts of the state are scheduled to go for civic polls on January 22.
Two days after TMC national secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed that all the activities including socio-political activities should be suspended for next two months due to the surge in Covid positive cases in the state.
It can be noted that not just in the state, the positivity rate of the pandemic is rising across the country for which Banerjee had also cancelled his four days tour in Goa that will go for Assembly polls next month.
It can be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee last week had also instructed that people should stay indoors due to the third wave of pandemic across the state.
Taking hint from the Trinamool Congress, the BJP also cancelled all their major schedules including their agitation rally in front of state secretariat Nabanna over the farmers issue.
Talking to Free Press Journal, BJP farmer’s wing president Mahadev Sarkar said their party programme has been suspended for the time being due to the pandemic.
“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also claimed that she will be working from home. Large gatherings will be hazardous for the people so we have suspended our major programmes,” said Sarkar.
Earlier last month BJP under the leadership of state president Sukanta Majumdar held a three days agitation programme at Singur claiming that the Trinamool Congress government didn’t give farmer’s their dues and also alleged that the Chief Minister is busy playing politics in other states over the farmers issue.
Majumdar also claimed that on January 10 they will hold a protest rally at Nabban over the same issue.
Incidentally, TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee had called for a 26-day hunger strike, demanding the return of 347 acres of land that was forcibly acquired by the then Left Front government to start the Nano car factory.
It is pertinent to mention that all the opposition parties in the state are also of the mind that the civic polls in four districts including Bidhannagar, Chandannagar, Asansol and Siliguri should also be suspended or else people would be affected more.
CPI (M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said that the Left Front had asked for an all party meet from Election Commission so that the elections can be deferred but was of no avail.
BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya slammed the Election Commission claiming that the voters won’t go out to vote if the election is not deferred.
However, several political analysts are of mind that after the pandemic chain is broken normal political activity will soon resume in the state.
