Will follow Covid protocol: Parties

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, April 16

At the all-party meeting convened by the Election Commission, parties assured the poll panel of following Covid-19 protocols during canvassing. West Bengal on Thursday recorded the highest single-day spike of 6,769 cases and 22 fatalities.

The BJP and the CPI(M)-led Sanyukta Morcha assured the EC of abiding by the poll panel’s directives. The TMC said it would appreciate if the EC decided to club the three phases of polling.

Forty-three seats are slated to go to polls in the sixth phase on April 22, 36 seats in the seventh phase on April 26 and 35 seats in the last phase on April 29. BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, who attended the all-party meeting, said they assured the EC of full cooperation as far as observance of Covid-19 protocols was concerned. They urged the EC to refrain from doing anything that could make campaigning for the remaining 114 seats a lacklustre affair.

Rabin Deb of the CPI(M), who represented Sanyukta Morha in the all-party meeting, said central leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, should also follow the protocols.