Former Lok Sabha speaker and the longest serving women MP, Sumitra Mahajan is fine and healthy, tweeted BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargiya, soon after Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted on Thursday evening that she has “passed away”. The lawmaker from Kerala later deleted the tweet and expressed anguish over the “evil news” circulated by someone.

Shashi Tharoor was quick to retract his tweet, while admitting that he fell prey to the fake news. He added that he was “relieved” to hear that the former Lok Sabha speaker is fine.

In a now-deleted tweet, Tharoor had written, “Saddened to learn the passing of former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. I remember many positive interactions with her.”

Soon after, many Congress leaders joined Tharoor in giving condolences on social media, but later deleted their posts after BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya tweeted in Hindi, “Tai is hale and hearty. May God give her long life.”

Also Read: In Shashi Tharoor’s Kerala ground report, scope for BJP too

The Congress lawmaker also tweeted his thanks to BJP’s Vijayvargiya.

Also Read: BJP’s divisive politics will never flourish in Kerala: Shashi Tharoor

According to a BJP leader from Madhya Pradesh, Sumitra Mahajan is currently under observation as per the doctor’s recommendation at a hospital in Indore. Earlier on Thursday, she was tested for COVID-19 and test results were negative.