In a significant turn of events, the Congress party has decided to drop Supriya Shrinate as its candidate for the Lok Sabha polls amidst a growing controversy surrounding her remarks directed at Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, who is also contesting from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi constituency under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) banner.
Shrinate, who had contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Maharajganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh, lost to BJP’s Pankaj Chaudhary. However, for the upcoming polls, the Congress has replaced her with Virendra Chaudhary as its nominee for the seat.
The decision to replace Shrinate comes in the wake of criticism she faced over a derogatory social media post targeting Kangana Ranaut. In the controversial Instagram post, Shrinate questioned the “going rate” in Mandi, making a veiled reference to Ranaut’s candidacy from the constituency.
Following widespread outrage, Shrinate swiftly clarified that the post was made by someone else who had access to her social media accounts. She emphasized her commitment to respectful discourse and expressed dismay over the incident.
Moreover, the Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Shrinate regarding her social media post, adding further scrutiny to the situation.
Responding to the controversy, Kangana Ranaut took to social media, urging for respect and dignity for all women. She highlighted the need to break free from societal prejudices and refrain from using derogatory language or slurs against any individual.