New Delhi: Congress veteran and three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit passed away Saturday at a private hospital in New Delhi, her family and the party said.
Diskhit was admitted to Fortis Escorts hospital hospital a few days ago and breathed her last around 3.55 pm.
“Lifelong congresswoman and as three time CM of Delhi she transformed the face of Delhi,” the Congress posted on Twitter as a part of their condolence message.
Rahul Gandhi, who recently stepped down as party president, called Dikshit “a beloved daughter of the Congress Party” with whom he shared a “close personal bond”.
I’m devastated to hear about the passing away of Sheila Dikshit Ji, a beloved daughter of the Congress Party, with whom I shared a close personal bond.
My condolences to her family & the citizens of Delhi, whom she served selflessly as a 3 term CM, in this time of great grief.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 20, 2019
Dikshit was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Delhi, having served in office for 15 years from 1998. She was also the governor of Kerala.
In January this year, the 81-year-old was appointed as the president of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. She came back into the political fray to take on BJP’s Manoj Tiwari in the North-east Delhi constituency, but eventually lost the election.
Also read: Sheila Dikshit was a beloved daughter of Congress party, says Rahul Gandhi
Dikshit became an MP for the first time from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh in 1984. She was also a close associate of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and a minister in his cabinet.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among those who condoled her death.
She was brought to the hospital Saturday morning in a “critical condition with cardiac arrest”, a Fortis Escorts statement said, according to a PTI report.
“A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, led by Dr Ashok Seth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, carried out the advanced resuscitative measures. Her condition stabilised temporarily. However, she had another cardiac arrest and despite all the resuscitative efforts, passed away at 3:55pm on July 20, 2019,” it said.
The Delhi unit of the Congress said that her body has been kept at her Nizamuddin East residence and the last rites would be performed on Sunday at the Nigambodh ghat.
(With inputs from PTI)
Also read: Sheila Dikshit, the Delhi aunty and Congress darling, proved politicians never retire
A transformer of Delhi. RIP.
A very fine administrator, left her mark on Delhi, including the Metro. Rest in peace.