Chandigarh AAP councillors jittery as Kejriwal tests positive

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4

Fear of the virus has gripped several councillors in the city as AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who held a roadshow in Sector 22 on December 30 and met many leaders, has tested positive for Covid now.

The Delhi CM, who had imposed Covid curbs in Delhi, was without a mask and did not adhere to social distancing, along with 14 councillors and the local party leadership, during the roadshow in a truck. All other leaders, huddled together, were also without masks.

With voting scheduled for January 8 at the MC House, councillors of other parties are now worried as they will be sitting in the same premises.

“There is a risk to all those who will be present in the House on the voting day. Those who came in his touch will touch the same ballot and table. Tomorrow, we will raise the issue,” said Arun Sood, city BJP chief.

Councillor Mahehinder Singh Sidhu, the presiding authority for the poll, said, “It is indeed a serious issue. AAP councillors should follow the protocol as only five days ago they were in touch with the Delhi Chief Minister. They should go for a Covid test. We will see what we can do.”

Chandigarh AAP president Prem Garg said, “There is no need to worry. They met him five days ago. The virus does not stay that long. I think it is for eight hours.”

He, along with former MP Harmohan Dhawan, AAP leaders Pradeep Chhabra, Chandermukhi Sharma and Sangrur MP Bhawant Mann, was there with Kejriwal without a mask.

An official of the UT contact-tracing team said, “All those who come in contact with a positive person in a week are put in the risk zone and some of them are quarantined as per the protocol. Information is sent to the Health Department to test all of them. In this particular case since the positive person is from Delhi, the Covid/health authorities there will contact their counterparts here.”

Risk on voting day: BJP

There is a risk to all those who will be present in the House on the voting day. Those who came in his touch will touch the same ballot and table. On Wednesday, we will raise the issue. — Arun Sood, city BJP chief

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