Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cancelled four of his election meetings scheduled on Friday, his office announced on Thursday evening, hours after he chaired a high-level meeting on the logistics of oxygen supply amid a national crisis of surging Covid-19 cases numbering over 3 lakh in the last 24 hours.

He will, however, address a rally virtually at 5pm, according to BJP sources.

“Tomorrow will be chairing high-level meetings to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation. Due to that, would not be going to West Bengal,” the Prime Minister tweeted around 5.40pm on Thursday while an hour of voting was left for the sixth phase of the eight-phase assembly elections.

The Election Commission banned roadshows and vehicle rallies in Bengal, adding that no public meeting having more than 500 people would be allowed. The commission noted "with anguish" that many political parties and candidates are still not adhering to the prescribed safety norms during the public gatherings, the EC said in its notice that came into effect at 7pm on the day.

Agencies

The BJP’s poll blitzkrieg in Bengal has come for criticism from all over the country amid the spiralling Covid numbers. Scientists have also zeroed in on a new strain of the coronavirus, calling it the Bengal strain.

The CPM was the first to cancel big public meetings citing the surge in cases, followed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who tested positive for Covid-19. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has also been spending less time on the dais. But the BJP kept the poll juggernaut rolling.

On Thursday, while voting was on, Union home minister Amit Shah addressed three campaign meetings in Harirampur, Gajole and Durgapur East.

Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh held four roadshows, while another party leader held roadshows in Calcutta.

Graphic: The Telegraph Online

While campaigning in South Dinajpur’s Tapan, Mamata announced that the state government would bear the cost of Covid-19 vaccines to be administered to those above the age of 18 from May 5 in Bengal.

“After the results are declared we will provide vaccines for free to those above 18,” she said. “This year, there was no chance of a Corona outbreak, had the Centre started vaccination six months ago. The Centre does not allow us to do anything. Last year, there were so many cases and deaths, we had handled everything.”

Mamata accused the Modi government of botching up the Covid situation.

“We wanted to buy vaccines much earlier, but the Centre would not allow us. Vaccines were sent abroad. Now there are no vaccines left for the country. After the cases spiked, Modi is blaming the people. Where will we get the vaccines from?” she asked.

Till 6.00pm on Thursday about 79.04 per cent voters had turned out to vote in the 43 Assembly seats where polling was held under the shadow of the raging Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of fresh Covid-19 cases stood at 10,784 till Wednesday evening, while the death toll was reported to be 58.

Calcutta HC critical of EC

While electioneering went on in full swing, a division bench of Calcutta High Court led by Chief Justice T.B.N. Radhakrishnan reminded the Election Commission that it was the implementing authority. “The Election Commission is empowered to act, but what is it doing about polls in these Covid times? The EC is just issuing circulars and leaving it to the people. But the EC has implementing authority,” the court observed.

“The EC is not doing one-tenth of what T.N Seshan had done. If the commission did not take action, the court will,” the court added.