K’taka Cong MLA Priyank Kharge tests positive for Covid-19
Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress legislator Priyank Kharge has tested positive for coronavirus and is at home isolation for treatment, a party official said on Saturday.
“Kharge took a Covid test on Friday and the result came out to be positive on Saturday. He has been advised home quarantine as he is asymptomatic,” party spokesman Ravi Gowda told IANS here.
Priyank, 41, is a lawmaker from the Chittapur Assembly segment in Kalaburagi district in the state’s northern region. He is the son of veteran Congress leader and newly-elected Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge from the southern state.
“I have been tested positive for #Covid. I have no symptoms. Request to all those who had come in contact with me in the last couple of days to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure. Stay safe!” tweeted Priyank.
Earlier in the day, state Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan tested Covid positive and is at home isolation in the city.
“Ahead of the Monsoon session of the State Legislative session from Monday, I underwent a Covid-19 test and the result has turned positive. I am asymptomatic and will be under home isolation,” tweeted Narayan in Kannada.
Narayan, 51, is one of the three Deputy Chief Ministers in the ruling BJP government and is a legislator from the Malleshwaram Assembly segment in the city’s northwest suburb.
The other two Deputy Chief Ministers are Govind Karjol and Laxman Savadi.
Narayan is the latest Minister to be infected by the coronavirus after state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai tested positive on September 16 and state Food and Civil Supplies Minister K. Gopalaiah on September 15.
Bommai, 61, is under home quarantine, while Gopalaiah, 57, has been admitted to a private hospital in the city though both are asymptomatic.
The state legislature secretariat has directed all legislators, including Ministers to take Covid test by Friday and informed them that only those whose results are negative would be allowed to attend the 8-day session.
The secretariat made it mandatory for all officials, security personnel and media persons attending the session to take the test by Saturday to ensure they are virus free to enter the assembly and the council.
“As the Ministers under treatment are required to be under quarantine for at least 14 days, they are likely to miss the ensuing Legislative session,” said an official.
