CM unwell, out of action for 5 days

Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar is down with fever for the past five days, skipping various engagements and keeping away from political developments when politicking is heating up every passing day, with the Lok Sabha polls drawing nearer. He is currently recuperating at his 1 Aney Marg official residence.

Though the chief minister’s secretariat sent a small note on June 30 about postponement of the Monday Lok Samvad as he was “indisposed”, it did not reveal anything about the ailment he was suffering from.

JDU secretary general K.C. Tyagi, who is himself keeping unwell these days and is currently in Hyderabad, said: “I had spoken to Nitish ji. He is suffering from fever with typhoid-like symptoms. However, we hope he will get well soon and visit New Delhi on July 7 to attend the national executive meeting the next day (July 8).”

Sources in the chief minister’s secretariat said Nitish has been unwell since June 29. A couple of doctors who visited 1 Aney Marg have advised him bed rest and prescribed him some medicines.

“The chief minister was feeling so weak on Tuesday that he did not come out the entire day. He could not attend the meeting with farmers he had called at his residence to discuss how to link MNREGA with agriculture in a better manner,” a source in the chief minister’s secretariat told The Telegraph.

Another source added that whenever the chief minister falls ill, he gets sore throat and sinus-related problems.

Nitish’s illness has not only led to postponement of several programmes over the past few days, sources close to him said he also chose not to meet Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel during his Patna visit because of this reason.

According to Dr Diwakar Tejashwi, a physician, typhoid patients normally take 10-14 days to get well, and it depends on the severity of the infection.

“We normally prescribe specific antibiotics, complete rest, easily digestible non-spicy food and ample rehydration to typhoid patients,” Diwakar said.

At present it is not clear from when the chief minister will commence his official and party engagements, but sources said that right now the programme to attend JDU national executive was on.

Courtesy: The Telegraph