Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge tests COVID-19 positive
Bengaluru, Jan 15: Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge who had participated in the party's padayatra demanding implementation of Mekedatu project, on Saturday said, he tested positive for COVID-19.
"Missed Covid in the 1st wave, ducked it in the 2nd wave, even had a false positive once. After several negative tests, I have now tested positive for Covid. Thankfully all my staff members have tested -ve. Request anyone who was in touch with me to get tested as per norms," Kharge tweeted.
Earlier several other Congress leaders including Priyank's father and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, and former Union minister Veerappa Moily who had participated in the inaugural of the padayatra on January 9 had tested COVID-19 positive.
H M Revanna and Shivashankar Reddy are among the other party leaders who participated in the march to have been infected by the virus.
With limited options before it, amid surging COVID cases, the government prohibiting movement, and High Court observations, the Karnataka Congress on Thursday had temporarily halted its padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru on its fifth day.
Meanwhile, Minister of Small Scale Industries and Municipal Administration M T B Nagaraj too said he has tested COVID positive.
Missed #Covid in the 1st wave, ducked it in the 2nd wave, even had a false positive once.
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) January 15, 2022
After several negative tests,I have now tested positive for Covid.
Thankfully all my staff members have tested -ve.
Request anyone who was in touch with me to get tested as per norms.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
