Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS): Maharashtra Congress leader and Energy Minister Nitin Raut tested Covid-19 positive here on Friday.

The minister made the announcement in a tweet and urged all those who had come in contact with him in the past few days to get themselves tested.

"I have been tested positive for Covid-19 today. I would like to request all those who had come in contact with me in the past few days to get themselves tested as a precautionary measure. Stay safe everyone and take care," Raut said.

Raut becomes the 8th Minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to be infected in the past six months of the pandemic gripping the planet.

Earlier, other ministers like Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan, Dhananjay Munde, Abdul Sattar, Vishwajeet Kadam, Aslam Shaikh, Sunil Kedar and Balasaheb Patil had tested positive and underwent successful treatment.

Some other ministers, legislators, parliamentarians and leaders went into precautionary self-quarantine after their associates or aides tested positive.