Congress candidate Rezaul Haque died, who tested positive for Covid-19 two days ago, died at a hospital here early on Thursday, health department sources said.

Haque, 46, the party's nominee from Samsherganj Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, was initially admitted to a private hospital in Jangipur on Wednesday following bouts of breathing trouble, they said.

He was later referred to a medical facility in Calcutta after his condition deteriorated at night.

Haque died around 5 am, the sources said.

West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury condoled his death and said the Election Commission should take note of the various instances of violation of safety protocols at poll rallies.

"I have written to the commission, stating how Covid regulations are being violated. We need to raise the awareness level," Chowdhury said.

Samsherganj goes to polls in the seventh phase of the Assembly elections on April 26.

India recorded 1,038 daily new fatalities, the highest since October 3, 2020, as the toll increased to 1,73,123, data released by the Union health ministry showed. A total of 2,00,739 new Covid-19 cases have been registered in a span of 24 hours, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic while the active cases surpassed the 14-lakh mark.