Coronavirus / Madhya Pradesh Minister tests positive for COVID-19 in Bhopal

BHOPAL: A cabinet minister in Shivraj Singh Chouhan government is among the 215 people who tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 in Bhopal on Wednesday.

The minister who hails from the Gwalior-Chambal region, had played a key role in the fall of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath led Congress government during March in Madhya Pradesh.

The minister is among the three close confidants of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the council of ministers.

Importantly, the concerned minister had along with other ministers also attended the cabinet meeting chaired by the CM in Bhopal on Wednesday.

He had also attended last rites of Governor Lalji Tandon in Lucknow on Tuesday. The Health Department confirmed that he has been admitted at the Chirayu Hospital in the wee hours on Thursday. 

Last month during the Rajya Sabha polls, a senior BJP MLA from Malwa-Nimar region had tested positive for the virus.

However, he had tested negative for the killer infection, by the time he was sworn as a cabinet minister during the second cabinet expansion on July 2.

With this so far, four BJP MLAs and three Congress MLAs, including an ex-ministers have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.

Importantly, Bhopal reported 215 new cases on Wednesday, perhaps the biggest single-day spike in the state capital on any day. 

Bhopal has reported close to 4900 cases so far and 149 deaths.

A ten day total lock-down has been ordered in Bhopal, starting from July 24 evening, in the wake of sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases since last 10 days.