23 Punjab MLAs have tested positive so far: CM

CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said that 23 of 117 MLAs in Punjab have thus far tested positive for Covid-19, including many who tested positive in the ongoing drive of the government to test all MLAs ahead of the one-day assembly session on August 28.

Participating in the videoconference of non-NDA chief ministers with Congress national president Sonia Gandhi, Singh said that all MLAs have been asked to bring their Covid-negative report before entering the assembly to attend the session.

It isn’t clear how many tested positive before this, how many have recovered, and how many tested positive in the latest round of testing.

“If this is the state of legislators and ministers, one can only imagine how grave the situation is on the ground (in the state),” the chief minister added.

Punjab assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh said legislators are still in the process of getting themselves tested at the district level or at Chandigarh ahead of the session and the total number of members found positive will be available by Thursday evening. A Cobid-19 negative report is required ahead of the session called to adhere to constitutional requirements.

State rural development minister Tript Rajinder Bajwa was the first minister to test positive for coronavirus but he has recovered and has been attending meetings. Last week, jails and co-operation minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa tested positive as did state revenue minister Gurpreet Kangar and industries minister Sham Sunder Arora