She has been credited with stepping up Congress and Rahul Gandhi's social media game.
News of actress-turned-politician Divya Spandana, also known as Ramya's, death flooded social media on Wednesday. However, several news outlets have now rubbished the rumour saying the former Congress leader is alive and on a tour in Geneva.
As #DivyaSpandana began to trend on X, formerly Twitter, anxious supporters sought to confirm the grim rumour. Thiru. KT Lakshmi Kanthan, Chairman of Congress' IT Cell hit out at the rumours, calling them "100% wrong" and clarified that she is alive and well.
Earlier, a journalist also rubbished the rumours, confirming that the news was false.
"Just spoke to @divyaspandana. She is in Geneva, was sleeping peacefully till calls came in. Whoever the irresponsible person was who tweeted this and the news organisations that put it out as news flash, shame on you. #DivyaSpandana," Dhanya Rajendran said in a post on X.
According to her post, Ms Spandana was "sleeping peacefully" in Geneva and was not aware of the rumour. "It was really the strangest conversation, kept calling @divyaspandana and she didnt pick first few times and naturally I was panicking. Finally she did and I had to say-I am glad you are alive, She is like who the hell is saying I died! #DivyaSpandana," she said.
While it is unclear where the death rumours sprouted from, some supporters have offered a possible theory. Divya Spandana shares her name with prominent Kannada actor-director Vijay Raghavendra's wife Spandana who died in Bangkok last month. Some X users claimed that the rumour may have begun from the confusion over the same name.
The Kannada actor joined the Youth Congress in 2012 and served as the social media head of the Congress. She has been credited with boosting Congress and Rahul Gandhi's social media image. She stepped down from the post in 2018 after her role was reportedly downsized.
A former member of the Lok Sabha, Ms Spandana had recently opened up about struggling with suicidal thoughts and revealed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi gave her emotional support. "My mother is the biggest influence in my life, next is my father, and the third is Rahul Gandhi," she added.