Former Indian Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda said on Wednesday that he has tested positive for coronavirus. This was confirmed by the senior leader on his social media account.
“My wife Chennamma and I have tested positive for COVID-19. We are self-isolating along with other family members. I request all those who came in contact with us over the last few days to get themselves tested. I request party workers and well-wishers not to panic,” Deve Gowda said in a tweet.
My wife Chennamma and I have tested positive for COVID-19. We are self-isolating along with other family members.
— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) March 31, 2021
I request all those who came in contact with us over the last few days to get themselves tested. I request party workers and well-wishers not to panic.
Deve Gowda is presently a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Karnataka.
Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said he was in touch with the doctors treating the former Prime Minister. “I learnt of the news of senior leader and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his wife testing positive for the coronavirus. I am in constant touch with the doctors and I am getting information about their health. I pray to God they recover quickly,” K Sudhakar tweeted.
The couple is currently recovering at the Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa too reacted to the development. “I hope both former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his wife recover from the COVID-19 infection. I hope they recover soon and return to their work as usual,” he said in a tweet.
ಹಿರಿಯ ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಮಾಜಿ ಪ್ರಧಾನಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾದ ಸನ್ಮಾನ್ಯ ಶ್ರೀ ದೇವೇಗೌಡರು ಮತ್ತು ಅವರ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಚೆನ್ನಮ್ಮನವರು ಕೊರೋನಾ ಸೋಂಕಿನಿಂದ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಗುಣಮುಖರಾಗಲಿ, ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಚೇತರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಎಂದಿನಂತೆ ತಮ್ಮ ಕೆಲಸಕಾರ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಿ ಎಂದು ಹಾರೈಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. https://t.co/YZ7Januj0u
— B.S. Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) March 31, 2021
Leaders from various political parties reacted to the news. "Sorry to learn that former Prime Minister of India, Sri @H_D_Devegowda Garu and Chennamma Garu have tested positive for COVID-19. I wish them a speedy recovery," Telugu Desam Party President Chandrababu Naidu said.
Sorry to learn that former Prime Minister of India, Sri @H_D_Devegowda Garu and Chennamma Garu have tested positive for COVID-19. I wish them a speedy recovery. https://t.co/3QQVvR3ENd
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 31, 2021
HD Deve Gowda is 87 years old and a senior leader in the JD(S) in Karnataka. The news of the infection comes ahead of the bye-elections to the Maski and Basavakalyan Assembly constituencies and the Belagavi Parliamentary constituency.
Senior political leaders Siddaramaiah, BS Yediyurappa and DK Shivakumar had earlier tested positive for the virus in 2020. They recovered from the infection and returned to work in about two weeks.