Insight Bureau: After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tested positive for Covid 19, questions have raised about the number of public appearances he has made. Kejriwal, who addressed a series of rallies to campaign for polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand in the past three days and Goa earlier, said he had “mild symptoms”.
Today we will look at some of the Chief Ministers who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and fought it out bravely and are now once again serving the people with full zest.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh)
The first CM who tested positive for COVID 19 was Madhya Pradesh leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He was in contact Cabinet Minister Arvind Bhadoria who tested positive earlier. They both travelled together to Lucknow to attend the funeral of Governor Lalji Tandon.
Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala)
Last year in April, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tested COVID-19 positive. Though he did not show any major symptoms, he was shifted to Kozhikode medical college hospital as a precautionary measure. Before testing positive, Vijayan extensively travelled across the state as part of the election campaign.
BS Yediyuruppa (Karnataka)
78-year old Karnataka CM B. S. Yediyuruppa was hospitalised in April last year, after he tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time in eight months. He is not the CM now, but had tested positive twice while holding the post.
K. Chandrasekhar (Telangana)
In April last year, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar tested positive for COVID 19. He had mild symptoms, as informed by an official release. Chandrasekhar had addressed a massive election rally in Nalgonda district.
Vijay Rupani (Guajarat)
In February, last year Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tested positive for COVID-19, a day after he fainted on a stage while addressing a municipal election rally in Vadodara.
He then rushed to Ahmedabad in a chartered flight and was admitted to the UN Mehta Hospital in the Civil Hospital campus.
Jairam Thakur (Himachal Pradesh)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur test positive for COVID 19 in 2020. He had come in contact with a Covid positive person. Jairam had then isolated himself and was in home quarantine for a week.
Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had tested positive for COVID-19 in April 2021, though he announced that he was feeling well and did not have any symptoms. Gehlot’s wife Sunita had tested Covid 19 positive before.
Pramod Sawant (Goa)
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had also tested positive for coronavirus in September 2020. The 47-year-old chief minister was asymptomatic and under home isolation.
Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also tested positive for Covid 19 in 2020.
N Biren Singh (Manipur)
Manipur chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh had tested positive for Covid-19 and urged those who came in contact with him in the past few days to get themselves tested.
Conrad K Sangma (Meghalaya)
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had tested positive for COVID-19, and asked people who came in touch with him recently to get themselves tested.
Two of Sangma’s cabinet colleagues — Health Minister AL Hek and Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar — were diagnosed with the infection earlier.
Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh)
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had tested positive for Covid 19 in September 2020 although he was asymptomatic and in home isolation.
Tirath Singh Rawat (Uttarakhand)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat also tested COVID-19 positive last year. Rawat visited Haridwar thrice after becoming the chief minister and mingled with huge crowds of pilgrims and ascetics, with hardly anyone following COVID-19 norms.
Tirath Singh Rawat had said that faith will overcome the fear of the virus.
N. Ranagasamy (Puducherry)
Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy also tested positive in May last year and hospitalized later.
Biplab Deb (Tripura)
In April last year, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and that he has isolated himself at home as per the advice of doctors.
Chief Minister Deb was actively campaigning for the ongoing ADC polls before testing positive.
Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi)
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tested positive for Covid-19 on January 4, 2022. He is in home isolation with “mild symptoms”.