Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to take a call on extending the complete lockdown in the country after holding a review meeting with chief ministers of all the states on April 11. A 21-day nationwide lockdown is in force since March25 to facilitate social distancing and halt the rapid spread of coronavirus.

In his last meeting , Modi had sought suggestions from CMs on lifting the lockdown, several states were against such a move given the surge in number of cases of novel coronavirus. Several CMs seem to be in favour of extending the lockdown, including Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. As a matter of fact, the April 11 meet comes close on the heels of the KCR’s demand for continuing with the lockdown. KCR while defending the complete lockdown noted that human life should be above economic interests. He said he had called the PM to propose extension of the lockdown. ‘‘We need to save lives, later we can save the economy,” Rao had said. The extension of lockdown now seems imminent.

On Wednesday, TRS Lok Sabha floor leader Nama Nageswara Rao and the party’s Rajya Sabha floor leader K Keshava Rao attended the video-conference held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From YSRCP, floor leader in Lok Sabha and two-time MP P V Mithun Reddy and the party’s Rajya Sabha floor leader Vijaya Sai Reddy gave their suggestions on the extension of the lockdown. A broad consensus on the extension of the lockdown is expected in the second review meeting with the CMs. The floor leaders discussed the availability of testing kits, medical facilities and essential commodities in the video-conference with the PM.