Campaign-induced fatigue: Kalpetta, Bathery MLAs admitted to adjacent rooms in hospital

Bathery: T Siddique and I C Balakrishnan, Congress MLAs from the adjacent Assembly constituencies of Kalpetta and Sulthan Bathery, respectively, are undergoing treatment in neighbouring rooms at the private medical college in Meppadi after they took ill following the hectic election campaign.

Siddique, who sought a second term from Kalpetta and Balakrishnan, who contested for the fourth time from Bathery, had ignored their physical ailments and discomforts during the three-week-long campaign for the Assembly election in the state.

Currently, they are admitted to rooms facing each other on the same floor of the Meppadi Medical College. While Siddique is in room number 2309, Balakrishnan is in room number 2303.

Balakrishnan had suffered an injury to the big toe of his right foot during the campaign, but he continued seeking votes ignoring the wound and the pain. But when the wound did not heal even after the voting day and the pain intensified, the Bathery MLA sought treatment at the government medical college in Mananthavady on Saturday and was admitted there. On Sunday morning, Balakrishanan experienced dizziness and was referred to the Meppadi hospital.

Siddique was admitted to the Meppadi hospital after he developed a chest congestion and fever. Later, on Sunday, Balakrishnan visited Siddique in his hospital room.

On Sunday, Siddique had posted on Facebook his distress over his inability to personally thank voters for supporting him during the election, as he was admitted to hospital.