TNW, Patna Aug. 1: After the rank and file of Bhartiya Janta Party, now the Corona virus has infiltrated the top brass of Janta Dal (United) as Ram Chandra Parsad Singh, the party’s National General Secretary and leader of the JDU in Rajya Sabha tested positive on Saturday.
R.C.P. Singh has been leading the JDU’s campaign for 2020 Bihar Assembly Election. He has chaired dozens of meetings held in the party office during last few weeks.
The news came even as local media reports confirmed that the JDU MLA Lallan Paswan is infected with Corona virus. Earlier, party’s spokesman Dr. Ajoy Alok, MLC Ghulam Ghous and large number of party workers were found infected with the disease.
It needs to be mentioned that BJP and JDU have been aggressively campaigning for the upcoming state election largely through virtual rallies. Yet, such events still required few leaders and workers to stay physically available so as to make the arrangements. Thus, the possibility of the exposure to the virus for them is always present.
Party insiders concede that social distancing norms are often violated during these meetings. Bihar has seen huge spurt of positive cases in last one month– especially after June 7 virtual rally of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Considering this, opposition parties as well as the NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party are demanding for the postponement of election, which is due in late-November.
Observers wonder if limited interactions during virtual rallies are making political leaders prone to catching up the virus, what will happen if election is held on its scheduled time.
Meanwhile, Patna District Magistrate Kumar Ravi is tested corona positive. Earlier, top bureaucrats and police officers of state, including principal home secretary Amir Subhani and Bhagalpur DM, Bhojpur SP etc., were found infected with the Corona Virus.
