OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD & LUCKNOW www.fi rstindia.co.in www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ twitter.com/thefi rstindia facebook.com/thefi rstindia instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD l SATURDAY, APRIL 03, 2021 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 126 Women wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk under cherry blossoms in full bloom at a park in Seoul, South Korea. (Inset) Men dig graves at the Valle de Chalco cemetery during the new coronavirus pandemic on the outskirts of Mexico City. The rapidly rising corona numbers in India since last month has brought back the spectre of a lockdown. Limited lockdowns have already been imposed in some cities, and threat of stringent lockdown looms large. Corona crisis Back to square one SACHIN HOSPITALISED ‘UNDER PRIYANKA IN ISOLATION AFTER NO LOCKDOWN IN DELHI FOR NOW, EXPECT STRICT RESTRICTIONS MEDICAL ADVICE’ DAYS AFTER HUSBAND ROBERT TESTS +VE, SITUATION NOT AS SERIOUS AS SOON, SAYS UDDHAV THACKERAY TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID CANCELS CAMPAIGN FOR 3 DAYS BEFORE, SAYS CM KEJRIWAL ON MAHARASHTRA COVID SURGE Mumbai: Sachin New Delhi: Congress New Delhi: Delhi Chief Mumbai: The possibil- Tendulkar, who tested leader Priyanka Gandhi Minister Arvind Kejriwal ity of a lockdown in positive for COVID-19 Vadra Friday went into on Friday said the ongo- Maharashtra can’t be last week, said on self-isolation after her ing wave of the Cov- ruled out if the surge in Friday that he has husband Robert Vadra id-19 pandemic in the coronavirus cases con- been hospitalised as a tested positive for Capital is not as serious tinues, Chief Minister precautionary measure. Covid-19. Priyanka has as the previous waves Uddhav Thackeray said The 47-year-old took to cancelled her campaign and hence there is no on Friday amid a fresh Twitter to announce the plans for the next three need of imposing any COVID-19 wave in the development. “Thank he wrote. Tendulkar had days, in Assam, Kerala positive for COVID lockdown. “We will be the second wave in the state that has seen the become complacent. We you for your wishes and tested positive for the and Tamil Nadu. Robert although I am asymp- reviewing the situation. country, it is the fourth highest daily infections are in a Catch 22 situ- prayers. As a matter of infection on March 27 Vadra announced in tomatic so far. As per In future, if the need wave for Delhi. An since the beginning of ation - should we look abundant precaution and had been in home the morning that he the COVID guidelines, for a lockdown arises, emergency meeting was the pandemic in the last at economy or health?” under medical advice, I isolation ever since. “He has tested Covid-19 Priyanka and I are self- I will consult before called at the chief Minis- two weeks. “I cannot CM said. Meanwhile, have been hospitalised. is doing fi ne and has positive, “Unfortunately, isolating although she taking any such deci- ter Kejriwal’s residence rule out imposing a night curfew timings I hope to be back home been admitted for nor- I came into contact has tested negative,” sion,” the Chief Minister considering the increase lockdown if the current in Pune were revised in a few days. Take care mal (course of) treat- with someone COVID RObert Vadra said in a said, adding that though of Cooronavirus cases COVID-19 situation to 6 pm-6 am from the and stay safe everyone,” ment,” said a source. positive and have tested Facebook post. it is being considered in the city. prevails. People have earlier 8 pm-7 am. 50 of 60 seats for BJP from 2 phases, EC orders repoll in Assam’s Ratabari after Mamata losing Nandigram, says Shah reports of EVMs in BJP candidate’s car Didi running TMC govt on ‘3T model’ All four officers EC BANS BJP’S of ‘Tolabaji’ (extortion), ‘Tanashahi’ of the polling HIMANTA FROM (dictatorship) and ‘Tushtikaran’ party have been CAMPAIGNING (appeasement), says Home Minister suspended by EC BJP Assam leader Himanta Sarma has Kolkata: Union Home in Cooch Behar district, Guwahati/New Delhi: been given a 48-hour Minister Amit Shah Fri- Shah said, “It is clear The Election Commis- ban on campaigning. day claimed the BJP “had from the first two phas- sion (EC) has ordered a EC issued order on won” over 50 seats out of es that the BJP will win repoll for a polling sta- Friday after Sarma the total 60 that went to more than 50 seats out tion in the Ratabari As- threatened to send polls in the first two phas- of 60. And Didi is losing Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses an election rally at sembly seat of Assam Video grab of EVM kept inside the car belonging to the wife of Hagrama Mohilary - es in West Bengal, and the election from Shitalkuchi in Cooch Behar on Friday. —PHOTO BY PTI after reports emerged Krishnendu Paul, a BJP contestant in nearby Patharkandi. whose BPF (Bodoland that Chief Minister Nandigram. Later, Di- late last night of an EVM People’s Front) is a Mamata Banerjee had di’s advisor went to her replied that she would wouldn’t vote for her.” being transported in a olation of transport day morning, said that member of the oppo- lost from Nandigram. and asked. ‘Didi! Where fight from anywhere Shah asked the peo- private vehicle belong- protocol,” the Commis- it has issued a show- sition alliance - to jail Addressing a public would you want to con- but not from north Ben- ple of north Bengal not ing to a BJP candidate. sion, in a press state- cause notice to the Pre- by misusing the NIA. meeting at Sitalkuchi test from now?’ But Didi gal, as the people here to give Turn to P6 Acknowledging a “vi- ment released on Fri- siding Officer Turn to P6 CAUSE FOR CONCERN nCoV worsens as Guj records highest 1-day surge at 2.6K cases First India Bureau ed a press release. The dodara (375), Rajkot was reported in the dis- As many as patients who died were (307), among others. trict, which is known to Gandhinagar: The from Ahmedabad city Meanwhile, a video spread rapidly. 11 patients state recorded its high- (3), Rajkot city (3), Surat of a factory in the town As many as 2,066 peo- est single-day COV- city (3), Bharuch (1) and of Morbi was doing ple recovered from the succumbed ID-19 spike of the year Vadodara city (1). rounds on social media, virus, taking the total on Friday, when it re- Due to the worsening where more than four tally to 2,94,650, even as to the virus ported 2,640 cases, condition, most of the patients could be seen Gujarat’s recovery rate taking the total tally hospitals in the state do lying on the floor with a dipped slightly to on Friday; to 3,12,748. The surge not have vacant beds to glucose drip. 94.21%. in cases has put Guja- treat other patients, as Due to the number of The number of ac- SMC rat in the list of states they have been directed COVID-19 cases, the Su- tive cases rose to 13,559, with serious crisis to nCoV positive pa- rat Municipal Corpora- of which, 158 patients cancels all amid the pandemic. tients. tion (SMC) cancelled were put on ventilator The state’s death toll Surat reported the the leaves of all its em- support. A total of employee rose to 4,539 as 11 more highest number of new ployees till April 30. The 65.06 lakh citizens have patients succumbed to cases at 644, followed by decision was taken after been vaccinated in the leaves the virus infection, stat- Ahmedabad (629), Va- A woman gets tested for COVID-19 at a testing centre in Ahmedabad. —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI a new COVID-19 strain state so far. NEWS www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 02 NO LEADERSHIP OVERHAUL LIKELY IN CONG FOR 2 MONTHS visited Ahmedabad two mer presidents of the days ago, and informed GPCC, Bharatsinh As senior leaders vie mediapersons that no Solanki and Arjun changes would be tak- Modhwadia have been for top posts, Chavda ing place in the party’s trying hard to get the Gujarat leadership as keys to the fort, while of now. MLAs Shailesh Parmar and Dhanani continue According to sourc- and Ashwin Kotwal are es, the Congress high reportedly in a race to command has its hands replace Dhanani. to steer the ship full with the ongoing Interestingly, despite state assembly elec- tendering their resig- First India Bureau nations. The party’s tions in Assam, Kerala, nations several times national leadership Tamil Nadu, West Ben- since 2019, both Chavda Ahmedabad: After had communicated gal and Pondicherry. and Dhanani have con- the Congress party that the state’s post- Therefore, decision on tinued in their respec- faced defeat in the lo- holders were set to be Gujarat leadership will tive positions. One of cal body elections replaced soon. How- be taken only after May. the reasons for their last month, Gujarat ever, if sources are to In effect, the changes tenure extension may Pradesh Congress be believed, no chang- are likely to be estab- be the fact that they Committee (GPCC) es are likely within lished by June.