The former chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit was today give final adieu at Nigam Bodh Ghat amidst chanting slogans like “Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega Shiela Tera Naam Rahega,” by her hundreds of followers and Congress workers from Delhi.
The Congress leader and former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA advisory council chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel and chief ministers of two Congress-ruled states Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath also paid their last respects to her at Congress party office and later on at Nigam Bodh Ghat crematorium.
The former union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and deputy PM Lal Krishna Advani reached her Nizammuddin residence and paid their heartfelt tributes.
Late Smt Sheila Dikshit was the tallest leader of Congress party and had been a minister in PMO during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure. She reigned Delhi for three consecutive terms as the chief minister Delhi from 1998 till 2013, implementing tremendous structural development of Delhi from Metro Rail project to several flyovers including successful conduction of Common Wealth Games.
She confronted the worst period of her political in 2013 when not only had the Delhi Congress lost awefully to Aam Admi Party by not winning a single seat in Delhi assembly but she herself lost to Delhi CM Arivind Kejrival at the hustings.
But highly courageous and active even being an octagenerian Shiela Dikshit never gave up to take the reigns of weak Delhi Congress in her hands and even contesting the election of member of parliament with full zeal, enthusiasm and energy though having lost it..
While three term CM of Delhi her dream was to make Delhi one of the best and the most beautiful cities’ in the world.
She was also the president of Delhi Congress twice and of UP once. Late Mrs. Dikshit was considered as the troubleshooter of Congress party who took the reigns of UP and Delhi Congress during the time of crisis and did her best to revive the party in both these states.
Born in 1938 Sheila Dikshit was witness to the pre and post-independent India who breathed her last on 20th July after suffering a massive cardiac arrest in a Delhi hospital in Delhi’s escort hospital.
President Ram Nath Kovind, prime minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, Defence minister Rajnath Singh including scores of ministers and political leaders across party and ideological lines were shocked on her untimely demise and extended their heartfelt tributes as the late leader was extremely soft-spoken, affable and the one who had extremely good relations with even opposition party leaders.
The former chief of Congress party Sonia Gandhi while expressing her tributes to late Sheila Dikshit termed her a highly experienced mass leader who dedicated her entire life for the people of the lowest ebb of the society.
Her passing away has left a huge void difficult to be filled ever added Mrs. Gandhi.