India’s opposition Samajwadi party hosted an unexpectedly lively rally last week, with politicians delivering speeches enthusiastically received by thousands who had attended despite a ban on live campaign events.
The event at the socialist party’s offices in Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state with a population of more than 200m, attracted the ire of police and electoral officials who accused Samajwadi of violating the two-week nationwide ban aimed at tackling a surge in Covid-19 infections.
Yet the reaction of party leader Akhilesh Yadav reflected the reluctance of politicians to halt campaigning despite the threat of the pandemic. “Words won’t come out from a leader without a microphone and people in front of them,” he said, according to local media.
Coronavirus is again spreading rapidly through India. Its resurgence is prompting anxiety as the country prepares for a series of state elections starting next month that will attract millions to rallies and polling booths. Weeks-long ballots will take place in Uttar Pradesh, as well as in states such as Punjab and Goa.
With vaccination coverage uneven and much of the country lacking basic health facilities, officials and experts fear that the polls could turn into superspreader events. They add those new restrictions and a drop in business activity risk upsetting India’s economic recovery.