BJP prepared to hold virtual rallies: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

While the Election Commission (EC) is yet to decide on holding the assembly elections in the five poll-bound states amid the rising cases of Covid, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the BJP is prepared to hold virtual rallies.

BJP prepared to hold virtual rallies: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Source: IANS

New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) While the Election Commission (EC) is yet to decide on holding the assembly elections in the five poll-bound states amid the rising cases of Covid, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the BJP is prepared to hold virtual rallies.

Talking to the media, Shekhawat said that EC will decide guidelines for election rallies and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will follow them.

"The BJP is ready for virtual rallies. We held virtual rallies in West Bengal assembly polls. During the first and second wave of Covid when all the political parties went into hibernation, the BJP was active at booth level through virtual platforms," he said.

He pointed out that conducting election is the responsibility of EC and the poll body is in touch with health secretary and experts over the current situation of the pandemic.

Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur in February-March next year.

On Tuesday, the EC team met the representatives of all the political parties in Uttar Pradesh. It is learnt that some political parties in Uttar Pradesh urged the EC to not postpone the assembly polls.

Shekhawat, also party election in-charge for Punjab, slammed Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi for accusing the BJP of creating panic over pandemic.

"The Union government has not issued any new guidelines but many states have done it on their own. Channi may be pointing towards AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi government has issued yellow alerts and closed schools and colleges but Kerjiwal is doing rallies in Punjab," he said.