Patna
Participating even in virtual rallies for this year’s assembly elections is proving costly for leaders in Bihar as they are getting infected with the coronavirus. So far, one minister and seven legislators tested positive for the virus and are admitted at various hospitals.
With restrictions on public movement, the governing combine of BJP and JD(U) has been holding online rallies. As per BJP leader Prem Ranjan Patel, 11 functionaries in Munger town have tested positive. They were among the 40 leaders who had attended a virtual rally addressed by the party's state in-charge Bhupinder Yadav two days back.
The MLAs with confirmed cases of corona belong to Mithila, Kosi, Purnia, Magadh and Tirhut. One minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinet is undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Patna. The state's Covid-19 tally now stands at 13,274.
Alarmed by the rise in cases, authorities in Patna, Nawada, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Samastipur have proposed total lockdown in the districts. They awaiting the go-ahead from the additional chief secretary (Home).
"There is an alarming surge in Covid 19 positive cases in Patna in last three weeks. Positivity rate has been considerably very high," read an order by Patna Collector K Ravi, who has ordered a complete lockdown in the district from July 10 to July 16.
In neighbouring Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren went into self-quarantine, as state minister Mithilesh Thakur and MLA Mathura Mahato tested positive for the Coronavirus. All entrance points to the CM’s house were sealed.
Tamil Nadu, Gujarat Ministers test positive
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister and senior AIADMK leader P Thangamani on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus and was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. In a tweet, DMK President MK Stalin said he had spoken to Thangamani over phone and wished him a speedy recovery. Thangamani is the second minister and sixth lawmaker of AIADMK to get infected by the virus. Meanwhile, a Gujarat minister also tested positive, state Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said on Wednesday. “The minister has been admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad after he tested positive for coronavirus,” Patel, who holds charge of the health dept, said ahead of the state cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar.
