Poll time in plague
KOLKATA: Millions of Indians voted in the final phase of a marathon election in West Bengal, despite the horrific and record-breaking spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths that have devastated the country this week.
Long queues of voters appeared outside polling booths as temperatures soared, and many in rural parts of the state failed to observe social distancing rules.
Sporadic violence was also reported in several constituencies, with bombs thrown and vehicles damaged.
Thousands have been killed in political violence in West Bengal over the decades, and this year’s polls —held
in eight phases over the course of a month — have also triggered deadly clashes between rival parties.
Winning power in the state of 90 million would be a major victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindunationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is seeking to end a decade of rule by the state’s firebrand leader Mamata Banerjee.
Nearly 8.5 million people are eligible to vote in the eighth phase of polling in the state. Results will be released on May 2.
“In line with the COVID-19 protocols, I call upon people to cast their vote and enrich the festival of
democracy,” Mr Modi tweeted.
He has been accused by critics of caring more about winning the vote than stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Packed election rallies attended by mostly maskless crowds, including in the restive eastern state — along with huge religious festivals — have been blamed for India’s surge in cases.
Before and since voting kicked off in late March, the Indian leader, along with Mr Banerjee and other minor party chiefs, held numerous rallies before cutting back as virus case numbers grew.
The vaccine program, which many believe holds the
key to bringing the pandemic under control, remains plagued by difficulties, with the government website crashing repeatedly since it launched on Wednesday. Millions of people who managed to register found there were no hospitals offering jabs nearby, as state governments reported crippling shortages.
Despite India’s status as the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer, the program has struggled since it was launched in January. Persistent supply shortages have forced hundreds of inoculation centres to close. And with some 600 million more people eligible for jabs from Saturday, the country has nowhere near the stocks required.
“We have no vaccines left at all. We have petitioned the government, but have been told it could be four to six months before we receive more stocks,” said one official at a private hospital in Delhi.
Mr Modi denied there were any problems. “Statistics indicate that far from crashing or performing slowly, the system is performing without any glitches,” a government spokesman said.
Mr Modi claimed last year the country had “defeated” COVID, and shipped almost 65 million doses overseas in an effort to outflank China with its “vaccine diplomacy”.