Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Saturday said they have tested positive for COVID-19.
Kumaraswamy could not get a bed in a hospital of his choice where he wished to get himself admitted for treatment, reportedly due to non-availability.
"I request everyone who came in close contact with me over the last few days to isolate themselves and get tested," the 61-year-old JD(S) leader tweeted.
Read:| UP CM Yogi tests positive for COVID-19
He had got himself inoculated with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on March 23.
Kumaraswamy's wife and Ramanagara MLA Anita Kumaraswamy is under home quarantine on the advice of the Doctors.
His son Nikhil Kumaraswamy who is a Kannada actor and JD (S) youth wing President said in a tweet he too has tested positive and is under medication on the advice of the doctors.
Meanwhile, a statement by Kumaraswamy's media coordinator claimed that the former CM did not get a bed at the city's Manipal Hospital, as per desire.
Also, Health Minister K Sudhakar's intervention to get him a bed at the hospital did not bear fruit, it said adding that, however, Kumaraswamy managed to find a bed at another private hospital.
Noting that Kumaraswamy had experienced fatigue on Friday evening while he was campaigning in Basavakalyan, the media coordinator's statement attributing to JD(S) MLC H M Ramesh Gowda, said he returned to Bengaluru and retreated to a hotel, instead of going home.
"On contacting doctors this morning and undergoing a test, he was confirmed COVID positive. Though he wanted to rest at his farmhouse and undergo treatment there, doctors did not agree to it. They asked him not to risk it and that he should get admitted immediately," it said.
Read:| Akhilesh Yadav tests Covid positive
The statement said Kumaraswamy will appear before a court in connection with a case via video conference today and after that, he will get admitted to another hospital, where he has got the bed.
A source at the Manipal Hospital not wanting to comment on claims made by Kumaraswamy's media coordinator said there was no bed available at the hospital on the city's Old Airport road.
Kumaraswamy's father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda was admitted to the Manipal Hospital on March 31 for COVID treatment and was discharged after recovery on April 5.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is also undergoing treatment at the Manipal Hospital for COVID-19, after he was tested positive on Friday, for the second time in eight months.
Several political leaders belonging to various parties like Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy, Congress MLAs Eshwar Khandre, Laxmi Hebbalkar, BJP's Maski candidate Pratapagouda Patil among others have contracted the virus during the campaign for bypoll to one Lok Sabha and two assembly segments in Karnataka.
CM Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, state Congress chief D K Shivakumar among other leaders have wished Kumaraswamy a speedy recovery.
PTI
Read:| Former J-K CM Farooq Abdullah hospitalised after testing Covid positive
