PM's shift to virtual campaign: Confidence or avoiding weaker regions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his scheduled campaign rallies for the next two phases in view of the pandemic and instead he has decided to shift to virtual meetings.

Kolkata: The sixth phase of the eight-phase West Bengal polls has already been concluded on April 22, 2021. The polling for the remaining 69 assembly constituencies in the last two phases will be held on April 26 and April 29. Actually, 71 assembly constituencies were supposed to be going for polls in the coming phases. But due to the death of two candidates, polling for Samsergunj and Jongipur constituencies, both in Murshidabad district, has been postponed to May 16, 2021.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already cancelled his scheduled campaign rallies for the next two phases in view of the pandemic and instead he has decided to shift to virtual meetings. The seventh and eighth phase of Bengal polls will practically happen in the Trinamool bastions and Congress strongholds. Now the question arises whether the Prime Minister’s shift to virtual campaigning is an expression of his confidence about victory in the Bengal polls or that the shift was deliberate considering the weaknesses of saffron penetration in these 69 constituencies.

Some feel that this shift is a positive signal from the saffron camp. While others feel that the shift is from the realisation of invariable defeat. A section of the political observers feel that since BJP has already been able to ensure victory to achieve the magic figure from the 223 constituencies where polls are already over, their star campaigners do not feel the necessity to go for aggressive campaigning for the remaining 69 constituencies. So the Prime Minister instead of making a physical presence has shifted to virtual meetings.

However, there are opposing views as well. The 69 constituencies in districts like Kolkata, Birbhum and some in West Burdwan, Malda and Murshidabad are Trinamool Congress strongholds. At the same time, Congress has substantial strength in Malda and Murshidabad districts. Although BJP has substantial strength in North Dinajpur and a pocket in Malda, elsewhere strength-wise Trinamool Congress is still ahead. So BJP star campaigners deliberately avoided physical campaigns in the last two phases.

Renowned political analyst and the former president of Presidency College, Dr Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay is not in favour of having a political angle in the Prime Minister’s decision to shift to virtual meetings. "The Covid-19 pandemic has taken an alarming shape throughout the country. In such a situation, the Prime Minister has done the right thing by shifting to virtual meetings. Rather I would say that he has set an example," he said.