Karnataka BJP legislator tests Covid positive

Bengaluru, Aug 17 (IANS) Karnataka’s BJP legislator Venkatareddy Mudnal has tested positive for coronavirus and has been admitted in a private hospital in the city, a party official said on Sunday.

“Mudnal, 63, gave his swab sample for testing at Yadgir on Saturday. As it turned positive, he came to the city earlier in the day and was admitted in Fortis hospital for treatment though he is asymptomatic,” the party official told IANS.

Mudnal is the MLA from Yadgir.

Mudnal, who participated in the 74th Independence Day celebrations at Yadgir on Saturday, has advised all who came in contact with him to take a Covid test and isolate themselves.

Heis the latest among scores of politicians to have been infected in the state over the last two months.

Janata Dal-Secular legislator Naganagouda Kandkur from Gurmatkal assembly segment, also in Yadgir district, had tested positive for the virus on August 5 and was admitted in a designated hospital at Yadgir for treatment.

BJP’s legislator Paranna Munavalli from Gangavathi in Koppal district also tested positive on July 19 but recovered from the infection recently.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah also tested positive and were discharged last week after a weeklong treatment at a private hospital in the city.

State Cooperation Minister S.T. Somashekar and JD-S MLA G.T. Devegowda are in home quarantine after testing positive though they are asymptomatic.

Congress MLAs P.T. Paremeshwar Naik of Huvina Hadgali assembly segment in Ballari, Ajay Singh from Jewargi in Kalaburagi, Rajashekar Patil of Humnabad in Bidar and his MLC brother Chandrashekar Patil, BJP’s Bidar Lok Sabha member Bhagawant Khuba and BJP MLA Rajkumar Teklur from Sedam in Kalaburagi were among the politicians who contracted the virus.

–IANS

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