Ex-CM tests +ve, anxiety among primary contacts

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah testing positive for Covid-19, on Monday night in Bengaluru, has sent his primary contacts in Mysuru, Srirangapatna and Mandya, especially Congress leaders, party workers, and close associates, into a tizzy on Tuesday.

Most of his primary contacts, nearly 150 members were subject to rapid antigen test (RAT) at his TK Layout residence and also at Rangacharlu Town Hall on Tuesday.

Most of them, including writer Devanuru Mahadeva, have tested negative. More results are awaited. Media persons, who were in contact with Siddaramaiah would be subject to RAT, on Wednesday. A few places that Siddaramaiah visited, in Mysuru, like his house and Mysuru District Journalists’ Association building, have been sealed down and sanitised, as a precautionary measure.

It has to be noted that Siddaramaiah, also Opposition Leader was in Mysuru, his native, on July 30, 31 and August 1 and 2. He took part in the fourth death anniversary of his elder son Rakesh at his farmhouse at T Katur near here. It has to be noted that Rakesh died under suspicious circumstances on July 30, 2016, at Brussels in Belgium.

Siddaramaiah, who lost to his once associate G T Devegowda in 2018, in the Chamundeshwari Assembly segment, spends most of his time in Mysuru, even though he represents Badami of Bagalkot in the Assembly. His son Dr Yathindra is MLA from Varuna segment.

Whenever Siddaramaiah is in Mysuru, his supporters and followers rally behind him, almost up to Bengaluru, on his way back. He attended various programmes and held meetings with various visitors in Mysuru on July 30 and 31. On August 1, he visited Srirangapatna and Mandya to hold meetings with Congress leaders and workers. He returned to Mysuru and left the city on August 2. A photo of Siddaramaiah playing chess with his grandson Dhawan Rakesh on July 31 had gone viral on the social media.

Meanwhile, his supporters conducted puja in temples and also at public places for his recovery and well-being.