'Priority should be to test, track and vaccinate', Sonia Gandhi to CMs of Congress-ruled states

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday reviewed the efforts by the states ruled by her party to tackle the second wave of the coronavirus infection and the vaccination drive. Addressing a virtual meeting with the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states and ministers of the party in states where it is in power in alliance with others, she said the priority should be to test, track and vaccinate. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh and Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel were among those who participated in the meeting.

While Singh pointed out that Punjab's vaccination stock will last for five more days, Baghel said Chhattisgarh will run out of the vaccine stock in three days.

The Congress chief also reviewed the efforts to fight COVID-19, including the



availability of vaccines, access to medicines and ventilators, chief spokesperson of the party Randeep Surjewala said.

"The priority is to test, track and vaccinate," he wrote on Twitter, quoting Sonia Gandhi.

"The (Narendra) Modi government has mismanaged the COVID situation. It has exported the vaccines and allowed a shortage to be created in India," the Congress chief said at the meeting.

She said all public gatherings and poll rallies should be cancelled as the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise and asked the chief ministers if the economic packages announced by the Centre had the desired impact.

"Mass gatherings for elections and religious events have accelerated COVID for which all of us are responsible to some extent. We need to accept this responsibility and keep the interest of the nation above our own," Sonia Gandhi said.