A senior BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh tested positive for COVID-19 hours after he voted for the Rajya Sabha polls in the state on night of Friday, 19 June, The Indian Express reported.
The BJP MLA said that his wife had fever and mentioned that they sent their samples to a private laboratory and got results around 10:30 pm on Friday. Both the legislator and his wife tested positive.
According to The Indian Express, the legislator had shifted to his farmhouse from his residence as his neighbour had tested positive three weeks back. He came to Bhopal three days before Rajya Sabha voting was scheduled to happen.
‘Precautionary Measure’: Other BJP MLA on Getting Himself Tested
Soon after, some other MLAs including BJP MLA from Mandsaur Yashpal Singh Sisodiya also went to hospitals to get themselves tested.
According to PTI, Sisodiya, while talking to reporters, said, “I came here along with two other MLAs from our division – Dilip Makwana (Ratlam Rural) and Devi Lal Dhakad (Garoth) – after we came to know through media and social media that one of the MLAs from our division has tested positive for COVID-19.”
He said that they don’t have any symptoms but got themselves tested as “a precautionary measure.”
Assembly Principal Secretary AP Singh said that the required precautionary measures had been taken while voting, the Express report added.
“Besides regularly sanitising the premises and screening of legislators, the staff that handed ballot papers had worn full protective kits. The MLAs had been asked to give a declaration about their COVID-free status before entering the premises.” mentioned the report.
The BJP MLA is the second legislator to have got infected with the virus. Earlier, a Congress MLA with coronavirus casted his vote for the Rajya Sabha polls that took place of Friday and came in a PPE kit to do the same, travelling in an ambulance.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Rajya Sabha polls, Bharatiya Janata Party won two seats and Congress has won one seat. BJP's Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sumer Singh Solanki and Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh have been elected from MP.
(With inputs from The Indian Express, PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)