Enormous gatherings during state elections last year contributed to a devastating COVID-19 surge that left the country's health system battered. And another surge driven by the omicron variant has already arrived.
Supporters of the Bhahujan Samaj Party carry a cut-out of an Indian map showing their leader Mayawati as the next chief minister and prime minister during an election rally for the upcoming state assembly elections in Ghaziabad, India, Feb. 3, 2022.
Suddenly, the colorful and often raucous rallies were curtailed. Life-size cardboard cutouts of politicians faced deserted rally venues. Rows and rows of chairs had no one sitting in them. And the loudspeakers, which were to relay the speeches of politicians, went silent.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wears a facemask as a precaution against the coronavirus and greets his supporters as he arrives to address an election rally in Shamli, India, Feb. 5, 2022.
Often, they were maskless as they distributed election materials to voters. Some politicians rode atop packed trucks and cars that made their way through winding streets. Others walked on foot, smiling for the cameras with hands folded in greeting, wading through jostling crowds.
Samajvadi party leader Akhliesh Yadav (L) waves during a roadshow for the upcoming state assembly elections in Mathura, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Feb. 5, 2022.
Social distancing didn't exist. Politicians were followed by thousands of supporters who flouted health protocols, rendering the ban on rallies almost meaningless.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath prays before a statue of his Guru Mahant Avaidyanath at a temple before heading to an election campaign, Gorakhpur, India, Feb. 5, 2022.
The coronavirus is still spreading rapidly through India, prompting anxiety as the elections attract millions to polling booths. Weekslong balloting will take place in Uttar Pradesh, the largest state with a population of more than 200 million, as in states such as Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
Supporters of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cheer as they listen to their leader during an election rally in Shamli, India, Feb. 5, 2022.
To tackle the spread of the virus, most political parties have switched to virtual campaigning.
Women and children throw flower petals as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath meets residents of a Sikh locality during a campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections in Gorakhpur, India, Feb. 5, 2022.
On a recent afternoon, Pankaj Singh, a politician from the governing Bharatiya Janta Party in Uttar Pradesh, sat with his supporters at a community park in Noida, a city bordering New Delhi, and watched a speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi broadcast live on a large television set.
Samajvadi party leader Akhliesh Yadav (L) speaks during a rally for the upcoming state assembly elections on the outskirts of Mathura, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Feb. 5, 2022.
Singh and his supporters were upbeat about the crucial state polls that will set the tone for 2024 national elections. But they rued the lack of crowds.
Congress party general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi, campaigns door-to-door for the upcoming assembly elections in Ghaziabad, India, Feb. 4, 2022.
"Before (the pandemic) the rallies used to be large. There used to be a different type of excitement," Singh said.
Supporters of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cheer as they listen to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during an election rally in Muzaffarnagar, India, Feb. 5, 2022.
