Five poll contestants test COVID-19 positive in West Bengal; 3 from TMC, one each from BJP, RSP

New Delhi, Apr 16: As many as five candidates of different parties contesting the ongoing assembly election in West Bengal have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a health department official said on Friday.

Out of the five candidates who tested positive for COVID-19, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and one each from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said.

RSP's Jangipur candidate, Pradip Kumar Nandi, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and is now in home isolation, the official said.

BJP's candidate for Matigara-Naxalbari seat Anandamay Barman (38), TMC's Goalpokhar nominee Mohmmed Ghulam Rabbani, Tapan candidate Kalpana Kisku, and Jalpaiguri candidate Dr. Pradip Kumar Barma have tested COVID-19 positive.

According to an official at the CEO, "The candidates who tested positive must immediately stop campaigning. Either they should isolate themselves at their homes or get themselves hospitalized depending on the severity of the infection."

Congress nominee from Samsherganj assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, Rezaul Haque, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died at a hospital here early on Thursday.