‘A Warm Personality’: Leaders Mourn Sheila Dikshit’s Death at 81

Sheila Dikshit passed away in Delhi at 81. Leaders across political spectrum mourn her demise.

Sheila Dikshit with Rahul Gandhi after her appointment as Delhi Congress chief in 2019.

(Photo: PTI)

With the demise of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday, 20 July, politicians from across the spectrum paid condolences to the 81-year-old senior Congress leader.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered her as a "warm and affable personality," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called her a "beloved daughter of the party."

Dikshit had served as the Delhi chief minister from 1998 to 2013.

She had mostly stayed away from active politics since the Congress party went out of power in the national capital in 2013.

She returned as the Delhi Congress party Chief in January this year, months before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal condoled her demise and said that “it is a huge loss for Delhi.”

“ Her contribution will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to her family members. May her soul rest in peace,” he said.

Former prime minister and an old colleague of Dikshit, Manmohan Singh spoke to news agency ANI and expressed sadness over the news of her demise.

“I’m shocked to hear the sudden passing away of Shiela Dikshit. In her death the country has lost a dedicated Congress leader of the masses.”

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also spoke to ANI and said:

"Deeply saddened by the demise of Sheila Dikshit. She loved me and whatever she did for Delhi and the country, people will remember it. She was a big leader of the party and her contribution towards the Delhi is immense."

In a tweet following her media interaction, Priyanka said that she will “miss her wise counsel and sweet smile.”

President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter and remembered her chief ministerial tenure as a “period of momentous transformation.”

“Her term in office was a period of momentous transformation for the capital for which she will be remembered. Condolences to her family and associates,” he wrote in a tweet.

Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi in a letter condoled the death of the veteran Congress leader and said, “She (Sheila) worked with vision and dedication to transform Delhi.”

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

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