Political parties tread with caution
LUCKNOW: The novel coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19) seems to have started affecting political activities in the state, making parties switch to a go-slow mode.
For instance, the pandemic appears to have impacted the programmes planned by the Yogi Adityanath government to celebrate its three years in power on March 19. With two years to go for the next assembly elections, the government had initially planned a blitz, but not any more.
“While some of the programmes are likely to be cancelled, others might be organised in a ritualistic manner,” said a state government spokesperson.
When asked about the threeyear celebration programme, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that the state government had already announced that there will be no mass gathering at any programme.
“The government will celebrate but in a simple way. We will hold a press conference to highlight the achievements of the state government in last three years,” he said.
The state’s main oppoisition, the Samajwadi Party (SP), had a hectic week till Sunday as it held its national executive meet and then a membership ceremony. But the SP has now planned no major programme till March 23.
Also, the party has placed hand-sanitisers in most rooms of its party headquarters and at the main gate.
On Sunday, when SP chief Akhilesh Yadav held a membership drive, and a press conference, several party workers and leaders had facemasks on. Yadav’s security personnel, too, were seen using sanitiser at the gate. Several outstation members did not travel to Lucknow for the SP’s national executive meet on Saturday.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers would do their bit in creating awareness among the people on the do’s and don’ts for Covid-19, said UP BJP spokesman Harish Srivastava.
Citing a communique from BJP chief JP Nadda’s office in this regard, he said, “As a responsible political party, we are going to engage in community connect, ensure that people are made aware of WHO’s guidelines as well as efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to check the spread of the virus.”
Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Yadav has said that his party will not hold any political meeting, programmes, rallies for the next 15 days.
In view of Covid-19, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) celebrated the 86th birth anniversary of party founder Kanshi Ram in a simple manner on Sunday, without the usual show of strength.
Party chief Mayawati herself did not participate in event and paid tribute to Kanshi Ram by releasing a statement calling upon the party workers to remain united and toil hard to capture power in the 2022 UP assembly election. However, the Congress, angry over the arrest of two of its workers, is in a demonstration mode. Congress workers, some of them wearing masks, staged a sit-in against the state government at the Gandhi statue on Sunday and Monday.
Meanwhile, Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has put up a one-minute video on Twitter, asking people to excercise caution and defeat coronavirus.
BJP WORKERS WOULD DO THEIR BIT IN CREATING AWARENESS AMONG THE PEOPLE ON THE DO’S AND DON’TS FOR COVID-19