Three-time Delhi chief minister and senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit passed away Saturday afternoon at a private hospital here after suffering a cardiac arrest, doctors said. She was 81.
Dikshit breathed her last at 3.55 pm on Saturday at FortisEscorts Heart Institute.
She was brought to the hospital Saturday morning in a”critical condition with cardiac arrest”, a Fortis Escorts statementsaid.
“A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, led by Dr AshokSeth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, carried out the advancedresuscitative measures. Her condition stabilised temporarily. However, she hadanother cardiac arrest and despite all the resuscitative efforts, passed awayat 3:55pm on July 20, 2019,” it said.
Dikshit was president of Delhi Congress. She served asDelhi’s chief minister for 15 years from 1998-2013.
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik and politicians fromvarious political parties in Kashmir expressed their grief over the demise ofSheila Dikshit.
In a condolence message, Governor prayed for peace to thedeparted soul and strength to the bereaved family members. Governor, accordingto a Raj Bhawan statement, described the former Delhi chief minister as awidely respected public figure whose contribution for the development of Delhiwill always be remembered.
Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha and Senior Congressleader Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed deep shock and grief over the passing away ofthe veteran Congress leader. Recalling his long association with SheilaDikshit, Azad said she was stalwart of the party, who served the party andpeople in different capacities with great devotion and commitment. Her contributions as Chief Minister of Delhifor three terms will be remembered for times to come in view of the tremendousdevelopment brought by her.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vicepresident Omar Abdullah in their condolence message said that her tenure as thechief minister of Delhi will be remembered for her remarkable work in the fieldof infrastructure building, sanitation and increasing tree cover in thenational capital. The duo prayed for peace to the soul of deceased and strengthto the family to bear the loss.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC)president GA Mir in a condolence message expressed profound grief over thepassing away of Veteran Congress leader and described her passing away as agreat loss to the party.
Former PCC President Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed has condoledthe passing away of Dixit and paid rich tributes to the departed leader.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Prof SaifuddinSoz, while expressing her condolences said Dixit was a great administrator andwas greatly involved in public matters and maintained her relations with thegeneral run of workers. He said her death is great loss to Congress party.
Peoples Democratic Party chief and former chief ministerMehbooba Mufti, in her condolence message, highlighted the role Dikshit playedfor the upliftment of society’s downtrodden and underprivileged sections.
Former MLC and Vice President JKPCC Gulam Nabi Monga alsoexpressed deep shock over the demise of Dikshit. WITH INPUTS FROM PTI