Bengal BJP resumes political activities

With the lockdown restrictions being relaxed to a great extent in West Bengal, BJP is eager to resume active politics. With an eye to the 2021 Assembly elections, the state BJP has started a new door to door campaign on Monday (June 1) highlighting the achievements of the Narendra Modi government in the last one year.

According to the state, BJP leadership teams only comprising of two members will visit households during the campaign to maintain social distancing. It is compulsory for party workers to wear masks and gloves during the visits and social distancing is to be strictly maintained in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.

They also said that the campaign will be carried out in every booth of the state not only to highlight the success of the BJP government at the Centre but also to make people aware of the failures of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in Bengal on several fronts.

“Our workers will visit every household in all the booths across the state. Being a responsible party we will ensure that social distancing another hygiene-related precaution is strictly maintained,” state BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu told DH.

Ironically, it was the saffron party which repeatedly accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of violating the lockdown when she visited several market places and localities to raise public awareness about the pandemic.

Questions are being raised from within the Bengal BJP regarding the rationale behind starting such a campaign at a time when COVID-19 infection is steadily increasing in the state. The state witnessed its biggest single-day spike on Sunday (May 31) with 371 cases in 24 hours.

According to state BJP sources, a section of party leaders is skeptical about how social distancing will be maintained during such a campaign. They said that such a campaign during the pandemic may put the party in a spot and give TMC an opportunity to accuse BJP of putting politics ahead of public health.