Kiren Rijiju tests positive; several leaders infected

Several politicians and bureaucrats have tested positive for the virus over the last few days, including at least two chief ministers, a Union Minister, leaders of the opposition and the Chief Election Commissioner, among others.

Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said he has tested positive for Covid-19. “I’m taking the advice of the Doctors. I request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant, exercise self-quarantine and get themselves tested. I’m physically fit and fine,” he tweeted.

On Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced he had tested positive — he had been diagnosed with Covid in August last year.

On Friday, Union minister Prakash Javadekar and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also tested positive on Friday.

From the opposition, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and party leader Digvijaya Singh announced Friday that they had both tested positive.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had tested positive on Wednesday. His political rival in the state, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, had also declared that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day.

On April 9, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had tested positive and had been hospitalised in Nagpur. He was discharged on Friday.

Earlier this month, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra too had tested positive, so had Left leader D Raja, who is still hospitalised.

Sushil Chandra, who had assumed charge as the CEC on April 13, had tested positive in the first week of the month.