Mamata urges colleagues to work for curbing virus spread

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee urged all her party colleagues to take up the Covid issue seriously and work in their respective areas to stop the spread of the virus. She held a meeting with the newly-elected MLAs at Trinamool Bhavan on Monday afternoon.

"Covid is our top most priority and we cannot take it lightly. This is not the time to rejoice. Work for the people and ensure that those who are in distress get proper attention," she told the legislators.

The swearing-in ceremony will be a low-key affair due to the pandemic. She urged the party leaders not to take out victory rallies. She is the first Chief Minister in Bengal, who will be sworn in amid pandemic.

"During the eight-phase election, we had worked to set up Safe Homes and their numbers will be increased. We have not taken it lightly and are working round the clock to ensure that those who have been inflicted with the disease get proper treatment," Firhad Hakim, the newly-elected MLA from Kolkata Port area, said.

Atin Ghosh, former member of Board of Administrators of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the newly-elected MLA from Kashipur-Belgachia, said: "Mamata Banerjee has instructed us to work round the clock in our respective areas."

TMC had repeatedly requested the Election Commission to club the last three phases of election into one due to the surge in Corona. However, the EC had turned down the request and went ahead with its schedule.