West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, blamed the Election Commission and said that the COVID-19 cases in her state increased during the 7th and 8th phase of Assembly polls. Addressing a press conference, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said that they (EC) ‘did not listen’ to her party’s requests to club the two phases. In a separate instruction to the state administration, she said that mothers and children between the age group of 1-12 should be vaccinated on priority.

“During the 7th and 8th phase of assembly election, COVID cases increased. We had requested to club both the phases, despite requests they didn’t listen. Now the positivity rate has been reduced to 3.61%… Mothers of children of age group 1 to 12 years to be vaccinated in priority,” Banerjee said.

Centre victimizing officer: Mamata on Alapan Bandyopadhyay

Commenting on the ongoing row over the blame game regarding former West Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Banerjee said that the state government will support the former IAS officer.

“Alapan Bandyopadhyay is an honest officer & competent person. He is totally authorised to take action as per his convenience & our government will support him. The central government is victimising an officer,” she said.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued several notices to Bandyopadhyay after he refused to report to New Delhi after skipping PM Narendra Modi’s meeting on the cyclone. He later retired and joined the West Bengal government as an advisor.