Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 9
The surge in viral infections has had an adverse impact on the election scenario as political parties and candidates have been advised by the Election Commission to campaign via the virtual mode.
Home quarantined
- BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia, who tested positive on January 5, feels elections will be different this time and plans to meet people as soon as he tests negative
- Cabinet minister and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, who tested positive on Saturday night, has been keeping in touch with people over the phone
With strict guidelines in place, several leaders from the region have begun their campaign while being in home quarantine after having tested positive.
BJP’s Manoranjan Kalia, who tested positive on January 5, has been in quarantine for the past one week. Speaking to The Tribune over the phone, Kalia said: “I will get tested tomorrow. In view of the Covid protocol, elections are indeed different this time. I will step out and start meeting people as soon as I test negative. Though the campaign will be in smaller groups under the strict social distancing protocol, abiding by the guidelines is in everyone’s interest. We will avoid large gatherings.”
Cabinet Minister and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, who tested positive on Saturday night, has been keeping in touch with people over the phone. While his wife has been going out to campaign, he is confined to home. “I’m currently relaxing. I have been in quarantine since yesterday. I quite like the new guidelines. People have seen our work for five years. The last few days won’t change things. It is enough for them to decide our fate,” he said.
AAP leader and member of the dissident volunteers group Dr Sanjeev Sharma, who too had tested positive, said: “I stepped out of the house for the first time after recovering. Shifting to the virtual mode will impact poor candidates as they won’t be able to garner necessary base that more influential or educated candidates can,” he added.
Amid curbs, infected politicians go digital
{$excerpt:n}
