TMC govt making arrangements for free COVID, says Mamata

The state government woulddistribute the vaccines supplied by the Centre and say it isproviding free inoculation, just like renaming other centralschemes, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said She is trying to turn it into a poll sop, he added.The states Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, too,spoke in the same vein, alleging that it is yet anotherattempt by the TMC to fool the masses.The TMC is well aware its days are numbered, so theseare desperate attempts, he said.The ruling party, meanwhile, dismissed the allegationsas baseless.The TMC government has done a splendid job in COVIDmanagement.

West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee on Sunday said her government is makingarrangements to provide free COVID-19 vaccination for peoplein the state, an announcement the opposition BJP and Congressmade light of, dubbing it as ''poll gimmick.

In an open letter, Banerjee said COVID warriors,including police, home guards, civil defence volunteers,correctional home and disaster management employees, will beadministered the vaccine on a priority basis.

''I am happy to inform that our government is makingarrangements for the vaccine to reach people of the state freeof any charge,'' the chief minister said.

The Union government had earlier said free coronavirusvaccine would be provided in the first phase to the mostprioritised beneficiaries, including one crore healthcare andtwo crore frontline workers.

India is set to launch its COVID-19 vaccination drivefrom January 16.

Banerjees announcement comes ahead of the assemblyelections in West Bengal, which are likely to be held inApril-May.

The opposition, however, slammed the TrinamoolCongress supremo for trying to politicise the drive ahead ofthe polls.

''The Centre has announced free priority vaccinationfor frontline workers across the country. The TMC governmentis trying to take credit of it. The state government woulddistribute the vaccines supplied by the Centre and say it isproviding free inoculation, just like renaming other centralschemes,'' West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said ''She is trying to turn it into a poll sop,'' he added.

The state's Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, too,spoke in the same vein, alleging that it is yet anotherattempt by the TMC to fool the masses.

''The TMC is well aware its days are numbered, so theseare desperate attempts,'' he said.

The ruling party, meanwhile, dismissed the allegationsas baseless.

''The TMC government has done a splendid job in COVIDmanagement. If we have announced about providing freevaccines, what is the harm in it?'' state minister SubrataMukherjee said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had recentlymade a similar announcement. The southern state will also goto polls along with Bengal.

The Bihar government, too, has given the cabinet nodto provide free vaccine to every citizen of the state, apromise the saffron party made in its manifesto for theassembly elections held in October-November.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)