A day after a BJP MLA tested positive for COVID-19 within hours of voting in the Rajya Sabha election, the party’s Madhya Pradesh president V.D. Sharma on Saturday said this would have no bearing on the party’s preparation for the forthcoming byelections.
“There will be no impact on the preparations for the bypolls as we are already taking all precautions,” Mr. Sharma, Khajuraho MP, told The Hindu. Byelections to 24 Assembly seats, 22 vacated by Congress MLAs who switched over to the BJP along with former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, are due by September.
The BJP was not holding any public meetings, said Mr. Sharma. “We are mostly conducting virtual meetings and holding videoconferences. Otherwise, we are meeting in small groups while maintaining social distancing.”
Hours after casting his vote along with 205 MLAs at the Vidhan Sabha, BJP MLA Omprakash Saklecha (from Jawad in Neemuch district) and his wife tested positive, sending jitters among MLAs as he had attended the legislative party meeting a day ago.
Mr. Saklecha is the second legislator from the State to have contracted the illness after Congress MLA Kunal Choudhary who, donning personal protective equipment, voted in the election on Friday.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Not convinced? Know why you should pay for news.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath