Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Tuesday, said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will float a global tender to procure COVID-19 vaccines. Addressing a press conference on the matter, Sisodia alleged that the Centre was ‘forcing’ the state governments to invite global tenders for vaccines.

“BJP says that Delhi government should have floated an international tender to buy vaccines from the international market. Does this mean that all State governments should go to international markets to buy vaccines? Then, what is the role of the Government of India?” Sisodia said.

He further urged the Centre to launch a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive on the line of the pulse polio campaign. Earlier during the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to PM Narendra Modi and pointed out the concerns over vaccine shortage in Delhi and said that the Centre should share the vaccine formula of the two manufacturers with other capable pharmaceutical companies to scale up production in the country.

Delhi to receive 2.67 lakh more doses of Covishield from the Centre: Atishi

AAP leader Atishi had, on Monday said that the Delhi government will have to close the vaccination centres where Covaxin was being administered for people between the age group of 18-44 from Tuesday as the stocks were declining. “Delhi will get 2.67 lakh more doses of Covishield from the Centre by Tuesday evening… More than 1.39 lakh people given vaccine jabs in Delhi on May 10, the highest daily figure since inoculation started,” Atishi said on Tuesday.

Earlier today, the BJP launched a scathing attack on the AAP government in Delhi and said that the latter had failed to handle the COVID-19 challenge in the city.

“Delhi is in bad shape due to the pandemic. Who should be held accountable? The party who came to power making empty promises,” BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said during a press conference. Delhi reported 12,481 coronavirus positive cases in the last 24 hours.