Congress president Sonia Gandhi tested positive for COVID-19 and has isolated herself, the party’s communication chief Randeep Surjewala said on Thursday.
In a series of tweets, Mr. Surjewala also said that Ms. Gandhi will appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 8 to answer the agency’s queries with regard a money laundering case involving National Herald, the party-owned publication
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin were among the top leaders who wished the Congress chief a speedy recovery.
“Wishing Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji a speedy recovery from COVID-19,” Mr. Modi tweeted.
“Wishing Tmt. Sonia Gandhi, who has tested COVID-19 positive, a speedy and complete recovery. I request everyone in public life to be cautious as the pandemic is not yet over,” Mr Stalin tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Surjewala had said that Ms. Gandhi had developed a mild fever on Wednesday evening and was found COVID-19 positive upon testing this morning.
He said the Congress president has been meeting leaders and activists over the last week, some of whom have been found COVID positive. Party general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal is also among those who have tested positive.
Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Mr. Surjewala said the Congress chief is determined to appear before the ED and hoped that she would recover by then.
“She hopes to recover by then; if there is any other and further information, we shall inform you,” he said.
The ED has summoned Ms. Gandhi and her son and Lok Sabha member, Rahul Gandhi, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Associated Journal Limited-National Herald newspaper case.
While Mr. Gandhi was asked to appear on June 2, he is out of the country, and had asked for a time after June 5 to depose before the Central agency.
