Karnataka BJP chief Kateel tests positive for coronavirus

Karnataka's ruling BJP president and the party's Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel has been admitted to a private hospital here after testing positive for the coronavirus, an official said on Sunday.

"Kateel is in a private hospital in the city on a doctor's advice for treatment after testing positive for Covid-19. He is asymptomatic," the party official told IANS.

Mangaluru is a port city on the west coast about 360km from Bengaluru in the southern state.

"Though I have no symptoms, my Covid test has come positive. I have got admitted to a hospital on doctor's advice. I will recover fast with all your blessings and good wishes," tweeted Kateel in Kannada.

The three-time lawmaker also advised all who came in contact with him recently to undergo a Covid test and isolate at their home.

State Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, said he was saddened to know that Kateel tested positive for Covid.

"I pray to god that he recovers fast and get back to work," Sudhakar tweeted.

Earlier in the day, state's mining baron and former BJP Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy tested Covid positive and was admitted to a private hospital for treatment in Bengaluru.

"Reddy is in a private hospital for treatment after he tested positive for corona virus on Saturday as he was not feeling well. As he is asymptomatic, he is responding to the treatment," a party official told IANS.

Confirming that Reddy tested positive for the infection, state Health Minister B. Sriramulu said he would pray to god for his best friend's speedy recovery.

Incidentally, Reddy, 53, was to visit Bellary on Sunday to attend the last rites of Sriramulu's mother after the Supreme Court on August 27 allowed him to travel to his home town from Bengaluru for 2 days.

Bellary is about 330km northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state.

In a related development, former Congress legislator Munirathna has also been admitted in a private hospital in Bengaluru after he tested positive on Saturday.

Munirathna, 57, joined the ruling BJP in November 2019 after he defected from the Congress following his disqualification for revolting against the party. He resigned from the RR Nagar assembly segment in the city's northwest suburb.

Former Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) minister HD Revanna and Congress state unit president DK Shivakumar are in separate private hospitals in the city for treatment after they both tested positive for the virus on August 27 and August 25.

Scores of politicians, including state Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah, state cabinet ministers ST Somashekar, Anand Singh and CT Ravi, Lok Sabha members, MLAs and MLCs tested positive and recovered from the infection during the last 2 months,/Eom/465 words.