At least 15 MLAs including Deputy Speaker Rajanikant Singh, tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the monsoon session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly starting on Tuesday, officials said.
The MLAs underwent the Covid-19 test on two days at the Assembly premises, ahead of the commencement of the Assembly session.
“I have been tested positive for COVID-19 and have been admitted to SUM Covid Hospital, Bhubaneswar. I request each and everyone who has come in close contact with me in the recent few days to get themselves tested. Jai Jagannath,” tweeted Deputy Speaker Singh.
Ministers Samir Ranjan Dash, Padmini Dian and Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi tested positive for coronavirus during the test drive at the Assembly premises, said the official. Besides the MLAs, their PSO and drivers, Assembly staff and journalists, had undergone the RT-PCR test.
The monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly is scheduled to begin from Tuesday and will culminate on 7th October.
Meanwhile, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress held their legislative party meetings to discuss their strategies for the monsoon session. BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the party will form a committee of MLAs, MPs and leading farmers’ leaders to study the provisions of the Farm Bills recently passed in Parliament.
“In both houses of Parliament, BJD raised its concerns regarding the protection of farmers’ interest in the farmers’ Bills and suggested scrutiny by Parliamentary Committee. The party will form a Committee of MLAs, MPs and leading farmer’s leaders to study the provisions. I would like to assure the farmers that their welfare will be paramount in any of our interventions,” said the CM.