Two Congress leaders test Covid positive; Siddaramaiah defends Mekedatu march

Senior Congress leaders HM Revanna and CM Ibrahim have tested positive for Covid-19 even as the party’s Mekedatu march entered its third day Tuesday.

Revanna, who took part in the padayatra, is undergoing treatment at a hospital whereas Ibrahim, who attended a CLP meeting before the march, is at home. Both have mild symptoms, party sources said.

Day three of the march, which saw Congress leaders covering 15 km from Kanakapura to Chikkenahalli, marked the reentry of Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah following his recovery from fever.

“Covid-19 cases are rising everywhere. The surge in the case is not because of our padayatra,” Siddaramaiah told reporters. He admitted, however, that maintaining social distance is difficult given that the third day of the march also saw thousands of people taking part.

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“We will finish our march at any cost,” he said. “People are coming on their own. It’s just like our Ballari padayatra where five lakh people came voluntarily on the last day. That’s why the Bommai government is scared and is trying to scuttle our march.”

The Mekedatu project will benefit 2.5 crore citizens, Siddaramaiah said. “There is no legal impediment. We will store 67 TMC water. Bengaluru, where 30% of people don’t have access to Cauvery, will get water,” he said. “It’s our government that started the project. We submitted the DPR. We waited for 2.5 years before taking out the march because the BJP has done nothing.”

DK Suresh pushes Nalapad

During the foot march, Bangalore Rural MP DK Suresh angrily pushed aside Youth Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad for coming in the way. Suresh was making the path clear for Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar when Nalapad happened to come in the way. Holding Nalapad by the collar, Suresh pushed him to the side, gesturing to steer clear. Nalapad is slated to become the Karnataka Youth Congress president next month.

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