After former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, now former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao have tested Covid-19 positive while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had to isolate himself as his spouse caught the infection. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is recuperating while several MLAs, Ministers and candidates of the recent Assembly polls have succumbed to the disease.
Last year, too, when the nation saw a long lockdown, bigwigs like Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan had tested positive for Covid and undergone prolonged hospitalisation.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee, Congress chief political strategist Ahmed Patel, Union Minister Suresh Angadi succumbed to the deadly virus last November. Former cricketer and a Minister in Yogi Cabinet Chetan Chauhan too died battling corona in the first phase.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted to say that he has tested positive for the Covid-19 infection. He said he had mild symptoms of Covid-19 and simultaneously asked all those who may have come into his contact in the past few days to get themselves tested.
“After experiencing mild symptoms, I have just tested positive for Covid. All those who’ve been in contact with me recently, please follow all safety protocols and stay safe,” he said.
Rahul had held an election rally on April 14 in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur. He later announced the cancellation of all his rallies in West Bengal over a frightening surge in Covid-19 cases across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished him a speedy recovery.
On Monday, Manmohan Singh was admitted to AIIMS after he tested positive for the infection.
Other politicians who tested positive for Covid-19 were Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who fell ill after coming back from election rallies in West Bengal last week. He developed complications during the course and now is on a recovery path.
All the leaders used the social media platforms to share that they were victims of the pandemic and hence, as per the SOP, those who came in contact with them was to mandatorily quarantine to prevent further spread of deadly virus.
Union Ministers Arjun Munda, Sanjeev Baliyan, Arjun Meghwal were amongst the few Ministers who also tested Covid positive.
Early this month, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tested positive just two days after polls were conducted in Kerala. He has now recovered. CPI leader D Raja also was diagnosed with corona amid the peak of Kerala Assembly elections.
Congress candidate PSW Madhav Rao from Tamil Nadu died of Covid-19, a few days after he contested from the Srivilliputhur on April 11. Another Congress candidate Rezaul Haque and a RSP candidate in West Bengal Assembly elections died due to corona.
Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa, Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb, the then Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat too fell to corona and self-isolated and recovered.
