Ready for virtual poll rallies, says BJP amid Omicron risk

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party is ready for virtual election rallies and the party will follow the Election Commission's guidelines issued regarding polls in the wake of the emergence of Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Shekhawat said, "Conducting elections is the responsibility of the Election Commission. The EC is holding talks with the health secretary and the experts over the pandemic situation of the country. The election commission will make a decision on election rallies and we will follow the guidelines."

"The BJP is ready for virtual election rallies. We did hold virtual election rallies during the West Bengal elections. During the first and second waves of the COVID pandemic, the political parties around the globe went under hibernation. But the BJP was still active at the booth level through the virtual platform. The BJP can work in any circumstances," Shekhawat said.

The Union minister slammed Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for accusing the BJP of creating panic over the pandemic situation after the rise in the cases of COVID across the country ahead of the assembly elections.

"Centre has not issued any fresh guidelines over COVID-19, but many states have done it unilaterally. I think Channi sahib is pointing towards the Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal. Delhi government issued a 'yellow alert' in Delhi. Kejriwal has closed down the schools and colleges in the national capital but is conducting rallies in Punjab," he added.

Meanwhile, amid the concerns over the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Election Commission of India team on Tuesday met all the major political parties in Uttar Pradesh.

Assembly election has been scheduled for five states which include Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur in 2022.