Varun Gandhi tests positive for Covid, urges EC to give candidates, campaign workers booster dose

“After being in Pilibhit for 3 days, I have tested positive for Covid with fairly strong symptoms,” the BJP MP tweeted on Sunday, adding that the election campaign was taking place right in the middle of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Election Commission should extend precautionary doses to candidates and political workers as well,” he wrote.

Gandhi is not the first political leader to be infected by the deadly disease in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced he had tested positive for Covid-19, amid a whirlwind election campaign in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

After being in Pilibhit for 3 days, I have tested positive for COVID with fairly strong symptoms.

We are now in the middle of a third wave and an election campaign.

The Election Commission should extend precautionary doses to candidates and political workers as well.

— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) January 9, 2022

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar and MoS for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai announced that they had tested positive earlier this week. Pawar and Rai stated that they are isolating and requested those in contact with them to get themselves tested as well.

Meanwhile, Gujarat’s Minister of State for Narmada, Kalpasar and Fisheries, Jitubhai Chaudhari contracted the virus for the second time in nine months.

Yesterday, the Election Commission released the schedule for the upcoming Assembly polls in five states, also announcing a slew of measures to prevent the spread of Covid.

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra announced a ban on roadshows and rallies until January 15 amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and the spread of the Omicron variant. The Commission also decided to extend the poll timing by one hour in all Assembly constituencies except in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism.