BENGALURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who is admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru after testing positive for Covid-19, will continue to monitor and lead the fight against the dreaded pandemic from his hospital room. “I am in touch with the officers to ensure there is no disruption in the administration,” the Chief Minister declared in a short video message from the hospital on Monday afternoon.
Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar told The New Indian Express, “The CM will look after the administration from the hospital.” Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that during his stay in the hospital, Yediyurappa will monitor the situation over phone and through video-conference, and officials are exploring the possibility of setting up a video- conferencing link in his hospital room. “However, there is a concern that the person who has to handle the facility has to be inside the ward wearing a PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) suit.
All these aspects are to be looked into,” the sources said. Meanwhile, on the first day at the hospital, the chief minister was busy receiving calls from senior leaders, including party president J P Nadda, leaders from other parties, as well as well-wishers, including heads of religious institutions. He also made several calls to officers, while a number of tests were conducted on Monday. He has carried 10 books to read, including Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, and a book on Swami Vivekananda.
Yediyurappa clinically stable, says hospital
The CM has also carried the Kannada translation by Ravi Belagere of Brig JP Dalvi’s Himalayan Blunder, to keep himself occupied during his week-long hospital stay. Yediyurappa was admitted to the hospital around 11 pm on Sunday with mild symptoms. His daughter Padmavathi, who too tested positive, has also been admitted in the same hospital.
“At present, he is doing well and is clinically stable. Appropriate treatment has been initiated as per current protocols. He is being treated and monitored closely by a multidisciplinary team of doctors,” said a statement from Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru. BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar, who works closely with the CM, said, “He is quick to adapt to any situation and even from the hospital he is keeping track of all the developments and passing instructions to people concerned.” Though the CM had appointed eight ministers and senior officers for each zone in the state capital, he was constantly holding meetings with them, seeking updates on measures taken to contain the disease spread.
As the number of Covid-19 cases in the state, especially Bengaluru, surged in the last few days, he held a series of meetings with ministers, officers, private hospitals and medical college managements. Ministers and bureaucrats will handle the situation and the CM will be updated by the ministers and senior officers. Whenever required, he will give his suggestions or directions, the sources said. Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that he is in touch with the team of doctors treating Yediyurappa and that the CM is doing fine.
Ministers, top cop under home quarantine
Two days after taking charge as Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Kamal Pant is in home quarantine after he called upon CM Yediyurappa, who tested positive for Covid on Sunday. Meanwhile, the CM, accompanied by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, had visited Governor Vajubhai Vala on Friday. Subsequently, both Bommai and Vala tested negative. Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan, who also met the CM, has tested negative, while minister Byrathi Basavaraj said he was going into home quarantine. Six CM’s staffers have tested positive, while son Vijayendra is in home quarantine.