VADODARA: The city unit of the Bharatiya Janta
Party (
BJP) seems to be under the tight grip of Covid-19 with members of the party right from corporators to Vadodara MP testing positive. The members have been involved in a series of public events in the recent past.
Be it folk and devotional music concerts ahead of Shivratri, a steady trickle of visitors to congratulate those who won in the civic polls and got picked up for key posts or Shivji Ki Savari, BJP members were consistently seen amidst large number of people. For photo ops and even otherwise many were seen without masks too.
Letting the guard down now seems to be catching up with
party members. The elected members from the party who have tested positive in a week include five corporators, BJP’s Dabhoi MLA Shailesh Mehta who resides in the city and Vadodara MP Ranjan Bhatt. Former corporator Shankuntala Shinde died after being tested positive.
Others include former Vadodara mayor Shabdasharan Brahmbhatt who is also a former and former corporator Harshit Talati. Family members of a BJP corporator have tested positive even as another corporator tested positive and negative in tests at different times.
BJP city unit president Dr
Vijay Shah said that party members were at risk as they were public figures and attended public gatherings. He added that the part had banned all public gatherings. “Party members can focus on work related to vaccination and other aspects of Covid-199. The mayor has also stated that the visits for congratulating him should be stopped,”
Shah added.
Mayor visits Covid wardVadodara mayor Keyur Rokadiya visited the Covid-19 treatment facility in the GMERS Gotri Hospital on Saturday. He was accompanied by BJP corporator Dr Sheetal Mistry who is a former staffer of the hospital and giving honorary services there as a nodal officer. Rokadiya wore a PPE kit for the visit and interacted with patients. “The patients seem to be satisfied with the services. The facility is also being maintained well and kept clean,” he said.