Ex-Assam CM Gogoi 13th legislator in state to test Covid positive

Guwahati/Agartala: Former Assam Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Tarun Gogoi has become the 13th legislator from Assam to have tested positive for Covid-19, it was announced on Wednesday.

"I have tested Covid-19 positive yesterday (Tuesday). People who came in contact with me during the last few days are requested for Covid test at the earliest," Gogoi tweeted on Wednesday.

Assam Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a tweet, said that a committee under the chairmanship of Jogesh Sarma, Head of Pulmonary Medicine Department of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), has been constituted to monitor the health of Gogoi.

Gogoi was admitted to the GMCH on Wednesday night.

Congress spokesperson Rhituparna Konwar earlier said that the 85-year-old veteran leader had been complaining of weakness after attending a few meetings on Tuesday.

"Doctors are attending Gogoi at his official residence. His health condition has been improving since Tuesday while his family members have tested negative," Konwar told the media.

The Congress leader represents the Titabar Assembly constituency in eastern Assam. He held the post of Chief Minister for 15 years until the BJP came to power in Assam in 2016.

On Tuesday, Congress MLA and former Minister Ajanta Neog and one from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) were admitted to the GMCH after testing Covid-19 positive.

Of the 13 MLAs who have tested positive so far, seven are from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, three from the Congress, two from the AGP and one from the All India United Democratic Front.

The other prominent political leaders who have tested positive in Assam include BJP's Rajya Sabha member Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and All India Mahila Congress president and former Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev.

Several ministers, many sitting legislators, political leaders and their family members including Sikkim Health Minister M.K. Sharma have tested positive for Covid-19 in different northeastern states.

Thirteen police personnel are among 252 people who have succumbed to Covid-19 in Assam while 3,394 police personnel in the state have tested positive, of which 2,863 have recovered.

Of the total 94,592 positive cases in Assam, 19,515 are active cases while 74,814 have recovered.