Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. He has been admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai on the advice of doctors. Making an announcement on the social media, Nationalist Congress Party senior leader Pawar, 61, said he was asymptomatic but as advised by his doctors got himself admitted to Breach Candy Hospital as a precautionary measure.

"My health is perfect. After a bit of rest I shall be in your midst soon," Pawar said in a message, four days after he had gone into isolation after showing symptoms of fever. 

On Thursday, Pawar tested negative for coronavirus but went into home quarantine as a precautionary measure.

He also said the party workers and citizens need not worry about his health and that he will be back among all after a brief period of rest.

Ajit Pawar had remained absent at a major public function last week when senior state politician Eknath Khadse quit the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and joined the NCP.

Ajit Pawar joins the long list of state VIPs who have been infected by coronavirus in the past months, including around 15 Ministers.

Just two days ago, Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis tested positive, followed by Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, who went into isolation after his report came positive on Sunday.

In the last few months, over a dozen Maharashtra ministers have tested positive for the viral infection.

They include Jitendra Awhad (housing), Ashok Chavan (public works department), Dhananjay Munde (social justice), Varsha Gaikwad (school education), Eknath Shinde (urban development) and Nitin Raut (energy).

Ministers Hasan Mushrif (rural development), Sunil Kedar (animal husbandry), Balasaheb Patil (cooperation), Aslam Shaikh (ports, textile), Bacchu Kadu (MoS for school education), Abdul Sattar (MoS-rural development), Sanjay Bansode (MoS-environment) and Vishwajeet Kadam (MoS for cooperation) had also contracted COVID-19.

With IANS and PTI inputs