Bengaluru: Congress social media in-charge Divya Spandana has gone incommunicado, fuelling speculation that the former actor may have quit the post.
Not only has she deactivated her Twitter account, sources in the Congress say she has exited all WhatsApp and other communication groups of the party.
“She is taking a break from politics for a while is what she told senior Congress leaders in Delhi,” a senior Congress leader told ThePrint. “Many of us tried to contact her but she has cut off all communication.”
Another senior Congress leader said this was the beginning of a major “shake-up in the party”, but refused to comment on whether Divya had given up her role as the social media head.
As reported by ThePrint last week, the Congress has asked all spokespersons to stay away from television news debates for a month as it looks to recalibrate its strategy after a second-successive debacle at the hustings.
“Not only have Congress spokespersons been asked to stay away from the media for a month, one can expect some major changes in the party communication structure,” the Congress source said.
“This is all part of the shake-up we are about to see. The chief media co-ordinator, Randeep Singh Surjewala, may also be changed along with several others. The social media team is part of this department,” the source added.
Also read: How social media memes became a political weapon to woo first-time voters
Controversial presence
Divya has so far had an extremely active presence on Twitter, often landing in controversies with her posts. Her post on Congress president Rahul Gandhi having trouble deciding what food to eat while on a European trip in August last year was criticised as tone-deaf as it came at a time when Kerala was battling its worst flooding in a century.
Another post about a photograph of PM Modi with the Statue of Unity saw her compare him to bird-dropping, and it was again widely panned.
The last tweet Divya is said to have put out was a congratulatory message for Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week.
“Congratulations @nsitharaman on taking charge of a portfolio that was only last held by another woman, Indira Gandhi ji in 1970-makes us women folk proud! The GDP not looking great, I’m sure you will do your best to revive the economy. You have our support. Best wishes,” she tweeted.
This is, however, not the first time her role as Congress social media chief has become a matter of speculation.
In 2018, rumours spread that she had quit the post after the designation suddenly disappeared from her Twitter bio. Divya later clarified that it was an inadvertent oversight that occurred while she was updating her Twitter bio.
A few state Congress leaders also expressed concerns that her sudden disappearance from social media may be health-related.
In November 2018, Divya was widely criticised for missing the funeral of senior Congress leader and minister M.H. Ambareesh. She subsequently posted a picture of her leg in a cast to explain her absence.
Also read: Social media rumours false, Haryana govt hasn’t ordered inspection of Eid biryani for beef
Rats and all good people jump off a sinking ship. Khangress has been sinking for several years, especially after MMS was led by the nose by the deposed empress of the UPA. Now, she imposed RG on the sinking ship and the results have been disastrous for the party.Khangress must be wound up now.
She often, and repeatedly, rushed in where ‘Angels’ would have feared to tread. All because she probably believed that she had the full support of Rahul. Her absence will not be missed, while we could all welcome missing her “Words of Wisdom”
Ramya aka Divya Spandana… ran a distasteful, disrespectful poll campaign on Twitter with lot of arrogance.. now washed off like bird droppings on a statue by the very Congress party which stood by her arrogance…
So please that this witch has exited!
GOOD RIDDANCE AND GET LOST! NOT THAT THIS WITCH HAS EXITED–CONGRESS CAN HOPE TO SEE BETTER DAYS!
Yeah, but it is a big loss to the BJP. It is with the active help oh people like her, Pitroda, Sidhu, Ghanti Ayar that the party crossed 300 mark in the general elections.
It is good that this lady with her vitriolic tongue has given goodbye to Twitter one hopes that the Congress will be better without persons like divya spandana her vituperative bad mouthing modi and BJP have not been to the liking of even apolitical public
She seems to be inspired by her boss Rahul Gandhi. The middle aged dynast usually goes incommunicado after a few months of work.
Coming so soon after Priyanka Chaturvedi quitting, is this a case of being fair weather friends, rats deserting a sinking ship, or just being battle weary?