Capt Amarinder Singh tests positive for Covid, month before Punjab polls

Chandigarh, Jan 12: Punjab Lok Congress founder Captain Amarinder Singh has tested positive for COVID-19, a month before the Assembly election.

"I have tested positive for Covid with mild symptoms. Have isolated myself and request all those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested, " tweeted Amarinder Singh.

A few days ago, Singh's wife and Congress MP from Patiala, Preneet Kaur had tested positive for the infection.

Amarinder Singh who was made to resign last year following a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had left the Congress and then had formed his own political outfit Punjab Lok Congress.

The Punjab Lok Congress has struck a pre-poll alliance with the BJP for fighting the state assembly polls.

Punjab will go to polls on February 14 and the counting will take place on March 10. Elections being held amid a fast-spreading third wave of infections in the country.

Allahabad High Court had asked the Election Commission to consider postponing the elections. Howver, the EC defended its decision to hold polls, citing the Constitution and announcing a number of measures to curb the spread of the virus during campaigning and voting.

The ECI said that in view of the prevailing situation there shall be no roadshows, physical rallies allowed in the five states until January 15.

Amarinder is the latest leader to have cintracted the virus after BJP chief JP Nadda, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavarj Bommai and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Punjab's 4,593 fresh cases pn Tuesday pushed the infection count to 6,29,899. The positivity rate was 18.64 per cent.