Mamata slams PM Modi for COVID surge, urges EC to hold last phases of WB polls in 1-2 days

As the fresh cases in the country breached the 2-lakh mark for the fifth consecutive day on April 19, Monday, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not 'making plans' to stops the growth of the virus in the past six months. She went on to blame him for the ongoing second COVID-19 wave, and assert that had he 'made plans', the second wave would not have happened. 

"Why didn't you make plans to stop Corona in the past 6 months," she asked the PM and vividly stated that he would have to answer this. Outrightly holding him responsible for the second wave, she added, "If he would have taken responsible steps at the right time then this wouldn't have happened."

'Request for remaining phases to be conducted in 1 day'

She also reiterated her request directed towards the Election Commission of India for the remaining phases to take place in one or a maximum of two days. She said, "With folded hands, I urge the ECI to hold the last three phases of polls on a single day or in two days amid the COVID-19 surge." Further, she added, "Please don't play with the lives of people."

It is pertinent to mention here that, as per information provided by TMC leader Derek O'Brien on his official Twitter handle, Banerjee will not campaign any further in Kolkata. and will only hold one "symbolic" meeting on the last day of campaigning in Kolkata on April 26. Apart from the decision to not campaign in Kolkata, she has also decided to slash the time of her election rallies in other districts to just 30 minutes, as per Brien. 

"Mamata Banerjee will NOT campaign in Kolkata anymore. Only one ‘symbolic’ meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city on April 26. Slashes time for all her election rallies in all districts. Restricted to just 30 minutes," read his tweet. 

On Sunday, the State registered 8,419 fresh COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths, taking the cumulative caseload to 6,59,927 and the death toll to 10,568. 

Tally in India

Meanwhile, for the fifth day straight, India breached the 2 lakh mark with a record single-day rise of 2,73,810 fresh COVID-19 cases. Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka emerged as the major contributors of fresh cases, with 68,631, 25, 462 and 19,067 fresh cases respectively. With this, the cumulative count in the country has mounted to 1,50,61,919. The death toll has reached 1.78 lakh, with 1,619  deaths in the last 24 hours.  

(CREDITS-ANI/PTI/PIXABAY)