With the number of COVID-19 cases rising in Bihar, the state government on Tuesday decided to impose complete lockdown in the state till July 31.
The government is facing a dilemma about holding the assembly elections as scheduled in October-November in the midst of the pandemic, even as some of the parties have demanded postponement.
Earlier, the BJP suffered a setback as 24 workers, including several office bearers at the party’s state office tested positive for COVID-19. BJP leaders including ministers have been actively campaigning and reaching out to people, while ally JDU is set to launch an intense programme soon.
However, with the imposition of the lockdown, the political parties' virtual rallies may also get impacted.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said already 85 persons including the chief minister’s family members have tested positive; 75 BJP leaders have tested positive after conducting virtual rallies, and staff of the deputy chief minister and chief secretary, too, have tested positive. “If the CM and the deputy CM are not safe in the state, then how can the ordinary people be? Why do they want to conduct elections over the bodies of ordinary people?,” Tejashwi said.
The state witnessed 1,432 cases on Tuesday, taking the tally to 18,853, of which 12,364 have recovered. The state is facing crisis at multiple fronts including providing livelihoods to lakhs of migrants, and impending floods.
Apart from the RJD, LJP and Prashant Kishore had demanded that the elections be postponed. The government's decision to impose a lockdown is likely to lead to strengthening of this demand. RJD's other allies, however, are in favour of elections at the scheduled time.
