Bengaluru, Nov 10 (IANS): Congress candidate in Karnataka's Sira Assembly by-election T.B. Jayachandra and his wife G.H. Nirmala tested Covid positive, a party official said on Monday.

"Jayachandra and Nirmala, who tested positive for coronavirus, have been admitted to a private hospital in the city," party's state unit spokesman Ravi Gowda told IANS.

"The couple are asymptomatic and responding to the treatment," he added.

Jayachandra, 71, is a former state minister.

The Sira bypoll, held on November 3, was caused by the death of sitting Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislator B. Satyanarayana at a private hospital here on August 5 after prolonged illness.

JD-S fielded Satyanarayana's widow Ammajamma as its candidate, while Rajesh Gowda is the ruling BJP's nominee in the triangular contest.

Counting of votes will take place on Tuesday, along with RR (Rajarajeshwarinagar) Nagar assembly seat in Bengaluru, where the by-election was caused by resignation of sitting Congress member N. Muniratna in July 2019. He subsequently joined the BJP.