At least 10 Maharashtra ministers, 20 MLAs test positive for Covid: Ajit Pawar

The deputy chief minister said despite the winter session of the state legislature being curtailed to just five days, many legislators have tested positive for coronavirus.

Mumbai: At least 10 ministers and 20 legislators in Maharashtra have tested positive for Covid-19, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday, adding that strict restrictions might be clamped if the cases continue to rise in the state.

Mumbai, India - Dec. 27, 2021: Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar entering Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the Fourth day of Winter session of Maharashtra state Legislative Assembly in Mumbai, India, on Monday, December 27, 2021. (Photo by Satish Bate/Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

The senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said that despite the winter session of the state legislature, which ended on December 28, being curtailed to just five days, many legislators have tested positive for coronavirus.

“We cut short the assembly session recently. So far, over 10 ministers and over 20 MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus. Everybody wants to be part of the celebrations of New Year, birthdays and other occasions. Keep in mind that the new variant (Omicron) spreads fast and hence caution is needed,” Pawar told reporters after visiting the Jaystambh monument in Perne village in the Pune district on the occasion of the 204th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed and some states have announced a night curfew. In Maharashtra, cases are increasing (particularly) in Mumbai and Pune,” he added.

Among the infected ministers include revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, school education minister Varsha Gaikwad, women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur and minister of state for urban development Prajakt Tanpure. All of them took to twitter to inform about being Covid-19 positive over the past one week.

Other ministers and legislators who have tested positive for coronavirus include tribal development minister KC Padvi, MLAs Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Sameer Meghe and Madhuri Misal.

Notably, Maharashtra on Friday reported 8,067 fresh coronavirus cases, nearly 50% more than the previous day.

Earlier, more than 2,300 people, who accessed the state legislature building during the five-day winter session, were tested for Covid-19, of which results of 54 came out positive. These exclude the ministers and MLAs mentioned above. Several House staffers, police personnel and journalists who covered the legislative proceedings were found to be infected.

The secretariat had made it mandatory for all participating members to undergo Covid-19 tests twice during the assembly session — first at the beginning of the session and then after a gap of three days.