Panaji, Jul 21 (IANS): The BJP is the only political party in the country which continued with its organisational chores, inspite of the hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, BJP national president JP Nadda told Goa BJP officials in a virtual conference on Tuesday.

Nadda said that more than half the country's population had benefited from free rations distributed by government agencies during the nationwide lockdown which was first imposed in March this year.

"Our national president said that BJP is only party in the country which has kept its organisational as well as service work going on during the period of Covid-19 pandemic," Goa BJP spokesperson Premanand Mahambre said in a statement issued on Tuesday, after Nadda's virtual interaction with members of the Bharatiya Janata Party state executive.

The video interaction comes on the heels of a stand-off between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Governor Satya Pal Malik, with the latter openly criticising the decisions taken by the BJP-led coalition government to contain the pandemic and the treatment of Covid-19 positive persons.

"He also highlighted the various measures taken by the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain and manage the Covid-19 pandemic as well as social initiatives like financial aid to Jan Dhan account holders, farmers, senior citizens and the disabled in the country and distribution of free ration to people below the poverty line," the BJP spokesperson said.

"He said that almost 80 crore people of the country got free rations during the period from March till date and will continue further," Mahambre added.

The spokesperson said that the Chief Minister briefed Nadda about the various steps taken by the Goa Government for managing the Covid-19 pandemic which includes setting up of a dedicated hospital to treat symptomatic Covid-19 patients, numerous Covid care centres, testing labs and other health infrastructure.