Shillong( Meghalaya), June 23 : Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had to isolate himself after he returned to the state from Manipur, and swab samples collected from him were sent for COVID-19 test.
However, any decision to put the Chief Minister under quarantine would be taken based on the result from the test.
Conrad, who is the National People’s Party (NPP) national president, had gone to Manipur on Sunday in his bid to resolve the political crisis, after four NPP legislators withdrew support from the BJP-led government.
Conrad returned to the state on Sunday itself, but questions were raised whether the chief minister will observe the mandatory quarantine?
Manipur saw a surge of positive COVID-19 cases following the return of thousands of citizens stranded in various parts of the country.
Meghalaya director health services (MI), Dr Aman War said that samples collected from the Chief Minister on Monday evening have been sent for test at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), and the result is awaited.
Whether the chief minister has to undergo quarantine, War said that this decision would be taken based on the outcome of the test.
Conrad along with Assam Health Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma went to Manipur capital Imphal on Sunday and held meetings with four NPP legislators who quit as ministers and put the Biren Singh-led government into trouble.
Besides the NPP ministers, three BJP MLAs, the lone All India Trinamool Congress legislator and an Independent MLA had also withdrawn support from the BJP-led government.
The visit to the politically instable state of Manipur by Conrad and Sarma, who is also convener of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) was to cement the cracks in the BJP-led government.
However the opposition Congress questioned Conrad and Sarma as to why the two political leaders were not quarantined under COVID-19 norms unlike the two AICC observers, Ajay Maken and Gaurav Gogoi who were placed under quarantine as per COVID protocols after they arrived at Imphal on Friday evening.
Maken and Gogoi were quarantined on Sunday too.
Veteran Congress leader and former Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi has expressed concern over the breaking of COVID-19 protocols by Sangma and Sarma while visiting Imphal on Sunday.
“Gross injustice and violation of quarantine on COVID 19 guidelines by Conrad Sangma Chief Minister and Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma Health Minister while visiting Manipur yesterday exposes BJP’s anti democratic attitude,” Gogoi tweeted.
By special arrangement with Highland Post
