Gujarat chief minister goes into self quarantine after MLA he met tests positive for virus

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has decided to run the state administration without meeting anyone for next one week after a Congress MLA whom he met on Tuesday tested positive for coronavirus.

Rupani's health is fine and he will run the state administration through technological facilities like video conference, video-calling and tele-calling, Chief Minister's Office (CMO) secretary Ashwani Kumar said on Wednesday.

"No visitor will be allowed at the chief minister's residence for the next one week," Kumar said.

Reputed doctors R K Patel and Atul Patel checked Rupani, he said in a statement.

"The chief minister is fine and all his parameters are normal, Kumar said.

Congress MLA Imran Khedawala, who met Rupani along with other party legislators at the chief minister's official residence in Gandhinagar on Tuesday morning, tested positive for coronavirus in the evening.

After the meeting with Rupani, Khedawala also addressed mediapersons in Gandhinagar.

The MLA was admitted to Sardar Vallabhbhai Hospital, which is a designated COVID-19 medical facility, Ahmedabad Deputy Municipal Commissioner Om Prakash Machra said.

Kumar said Khedawala, who represents Khadia-Jamalpur Assembly segment in Ahmedabad, committed a big mistake by not staying at home and coming out to meet Rupani when he had given his samples for coronavirus testing. He said Khedawala was sitting 15 to 20 feet away from the chief minister during the meeting.

Besides Khedawala, two other Congress MLAs from the city - Gyasuddin Shaikh and Shailesh Parmar - were also present in the meeting.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja also attended the meeting, after which Rupani had announced imposition of curfew in some Ahmedabad areas falling under the Assembly constituencies of these Congress MLAs, to curb the spread of coronavirus.