After the pandemic curbs with respect to holding meetings were relaxed in five poll-bound states, political parties in Odisha have raised a similar demand ahead of the three-tier Panchayat elections.
Keeping the rising case of Covid-19 in the State in mind, the Odisha State Election Commission has already laid down a set of guidelines to be followed during the Panchayat elections . The candidates in the fray have been asked to switch over to digital campaigning instead of physical campaigning. They are allowed to go to the doors of the electorate with a maximum of four supporters.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) along with the State units of political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have demanded for relaxation in line with the five poll-bound states-Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur and Goa.
“Since the number of daily Covid-19 cases has started declining, we feel the restrictions with regard to holding physical rallies and meetings should be eased a bit. If public meeting is allowed, the campaignings can be organised in a better way,” said general secretary of BJP, Golak Mohapatra.
According to senior Congress leader Suresh Routray, political parties should be allowed to hold public meetings, rallies etc. as they used to do in pre-Covid times. “If public meeting with 1,000 people is allowed in the five states, why the same is not replicated in Odisha. We should also be given an opportunity to hold public meetings, rallies etc.,” opined Routray.
When asked, general secretary of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Manas Mangaraj said there is a necessity to ease curbs and his party would think over it.