In BJP rank & file, a fear: ‘Phone calls pour in for bed, cylinder… can do little’

Having taken credit score for “victory” over the primary wave of the Covid-19 pandemic final yr, each the BJP and the Centre are scrambling to reply politically to the fierce second wave that’s hit the nation like a “toofan,” as Prime Minister Narendra Modi known as it Tuesday.
The wave has touched extra houses than ever, the every day loss of life depend has hit a report excessive and hapless households wrestle to discover a mattress or an oxygen cylinder. The truth that every one that is one full yr after the pandemic and after virtually 4 months of calm has accentuated public anguish.

For the get together, too, it has hit house. Over the previous couple of days, many BJP leaders — together with MPs and get together office-bearers in a number of states — informed The Indian Express they’ve been inundated with requires assist from households, mates and their constituencies however they will do little.
“These days, I worry whenever the phone rings. Only God knows what request will come, for a hospital bed, for Remdesivir, for oxygen or to arrange for a quick test — such calls are pouring in and it’s very difficult to meet these requests,” mentioned a prime BJP office-bearer in a state dominated by the get together.
He has a deep and in depth community within the state administration however he admits that the pandemic has uncovered essential gaps in infrastructure that may’t be simply “politically addressed.” “Even money or political contacts can’t help, that’s why families are much more impatient and angry,” he mentioned.
“Last time, it was mainly requests for food or transport for migrants or the poor which was easier to attend to than demands for a bed, oxygen and Remdesivir,” mentioned the BJP chief of one other party-ruled state.

“There is panic and anxiety all around. We are not able to attend to the requests of our cadres…there are cases where our workers or their loved ones have died because we could not address their requests on time. The situation is very precarious,” he mentioned.
Party leaders mentioned they’re preserving their fingers crossed and pinning their hopes on that there shall be some respite “in the coming days.”
Until then, the wait. “Sankat bada hai, jhelna toh padega. Sankat bada hai aur apekshayein bhi badi hain. (the crisis is deep, it needs to be tackled; there are high expectations, too). There is widespread anxiety at the moment,” mentioned a senior RSS functionary citing examples of how their cadres are hit within the discipline.
The BJP could have accused Opposition-ruled states of passing the buck to the Centre by making appeals for oxygen and medication however even BJP CMs are feeling the warmth.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan needed to tweet on how neighbouring state officers had been holding again oxygen vehicles meant for his state. Sources mentioned a neighbouring BJP-ruled state was additionally a part of his lament. Sources mentioned Chouhan needed to communicate to a state CM to get oxygen vehicles launched for Madhya Pradesh.

Most get together leaders are wanting on the Central management to take their cue on methods to transfer forward and handle the “dampened” public temper. “Lagta hai Bhagwan ne sun li meri awaaz,” (Seems God heard my prayers) mentioned a state BJP chief moments after the PM tweeted his plan to deal with the nation Tuesday.
Speaking earlier within the day, the state unit chief had advised the necessity for Modi to talk to the general public on to counter the rising despondency.
“We have an army of political workers who can provide muscle support. But we can’t meet requests of oxygen, beds, and drugs. This is causing anxiety all around,” mentioned the BJP state chief suggesting that assurances want to come back from Modi himself.
A senior RSS chief hoped that the actual fact the PM had spoken to the nation and had assured enchancment signalled that “he must have ensured that the spadework has been done. That the situation on oxygen and medicines will improve in the coming days.”
“The situation is grim but Opposition-ruled states like Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab or Delhi are not doing any better than BJP-ruled states so I am not sure what political advantage they can reap,” mentioned the RSS functionary. He, nevertheless, admitted that pictures of large election rally crowds in West Bengal at a time of rising deaths had, certainly, rattled many throughout the nation.
A senior get together functionary within the central workforce of the BJP, who’s at present deputed to handle election work in West Bengal, admitted there was “rising anxiety” amongst folks over the present surge. He mentioned many get together leaders had rushed to their constituencies to deal with “requirements arising out of the current wave.” That’s why, he mentioned, some get together state items and youth wings have arrange helplines.