PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi among top politicians pay homage to Sheila Dikshit, last rites today

Senior Congress leader and three-time former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit died at the age of 81 on Saturday. Dikshit breathed her last at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in Delhi, where she was admitted in a critical condition with cardiac arrest. As soon as the news of the senior Congress leader’s demise was shared, politicians across the party lines expressed the condolences and paid tributes to Dikshit, credited for changing the face of national capital. Her body will be taken to Congress headquarters on Sunday and after that it will be taken for funeral at 3 pm.

Updates:

#08:25 pm: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh: It is great loss for the country & Congress party. Delhi has lost an outstanding leader & administrator who transformed the state beyond recognition. Country will remember her contribution towards the transformation of Delhi for a long time.

#08:20 pm: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lays wreath & pays respects to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the latter's residence in Nizamuddin.

#08:15 pm: Actress Sharmila Tagore pays respects to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the latter's residence in Nizamuddin.

#08:10 pm: Delhi: Former President Pranab Mukherjee pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who passed away today, due to cardiac arrest.

#07:55 pm: Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who passed away today, due to cardiac arrest.

#07:42 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal & Deputy CM Manish Sisodia pay tribute to Sheila Dikshit, who passed away today, due to cardiac arrest.

#07:35 pm: BJP MP and BJP Delhi President, Manoj Tiwari pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who passed away today, due to a cardiac arrest.

#07:25 pm: Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who passed away today, due to a cardiac arrest

#WATCH Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who passed away today, due to a cardiac arrest. pic.twitter.com/YV1YpychEh

— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2019

#07:20 pm: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who passed away today, in Delhi due to cardiac arrest.

#07:10 pm: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who passed away today, in Delhi due to a cardiac arrest.

06:51 pm: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi pays tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

06:30 pm: BJP leader Vijay Goel pays tribute to Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at her residence in Nizamuddin. 

06:10 pm: Mortal remains of Sheila Dikshit will be kept for people to pay homage at her residence in Nizamuddin East, New Delhi from 6.00 pm today to 11.30 am tomorrow (Sunday). Her body will also be taken to Congress headquarters and her cremation will be held at the Nigambodh Ghat at 3:00 pm on Sunday.

#05:50 pm: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia: Delhi government has decided to declare 2-day state mourning over the demise of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

#05:35 pm: Sheila Dikshit's last tweet shows her concern for the Delhi and its citizens. It was on Union Budget and she looked unsatisfied with what was granted to the national capital.

It was a disappointing budget - full of rhetoric and tokenism but devoid of substance. Being the capital of India, Delhi has not been getting its due over the last few budgets. #UnionBudget

— Sheila Dikshit (@SheilaDikshit) July 5, 2019

#05:25 pm: Bollywood actress Richa Chadha says Sheila Dikshit's demise is a personal loss to her. More reactions from celebs

#SheilaDixit demise will feel like a personal loss to anyone who grew up in Delhi. During my school and college, the green cover of Delhi actually grew by 300% ! A tall leader. Rest in peace ma'am. Condolences to family. ❣️

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) July 20, 2019

#05:20 pm: Delhi: Mortal remains of Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit brought to her residence in Nizamuddin.

#05:15 pm: Ahmed Patel, Congress: I think her mortal remains will be taken to their home in 1-1:30 hours, then it will be decided tomorrow morning when to take it to Congress headquarters, then it will be taken to Nigam Bodh Ghat.

#05:10 pm: Former PM Manmohan Singh: 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. People of Delhi will always remember her contribution to Delhi's development during her tenure as CM for 3 terms.

#05:05 pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress: Deeply saddened by the demise of Sheila Dikshit Ji. She loved me, whatever she did for Delhi&the country, people will remember it. She was a big leader of party,her contribution towards party, politics of nation & especially to Delhi, is immense.

#05:00 pm: Shashi Tharoor: She was an outstanding Chief Minister, a warm & outgoing friend & above all a wonderful human being. I am privileged to have known her since my college days. I shall miss her terribly — & so does Delhi already.

#04:55 pm: Congress Party: We regret to hear of the passing of Smt Sheila Dikshit. Lifelong congresswoman and as three time CM of Delhi she transformed the face of Delhi. Our condolences to her family and friends. Hope they find strength in this time of grief

#04:50 pm: BJP MP & BJP Delhi President, Manoj Tiwari: I had met her recently, it is a big shock. I remember how she welcomed me like a mother. Delhi will miss her. May God give her family and her closed ones the strength to bear this loss.

#04:45 pm: President Ram Nath Kovind: Sad to hear of the passing of Smt Sheila Dikshit, former Chief Minister of Delhi and a senior political figure. 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

#04:40 pm: Rahul Gandhi tweets,"I’m devastated to hear about passing away of Shiela Dikshit Ji, beloved daughter of Congress Party,with whom I shared a close personal bond. My condolences to her family&citizens of Delhi, whom she served selflessly as a 3 term CM,in this time of great grief"

#04:30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Sheila Dikshit Ji. Blessed with a warm and affable personality, she made a noteworthy contribution to Delhi’s development. Condolences to her family and supporters. Om Shanti."

#04:20 pm: Arvind Kejriwal expresses Condolences: Just now got to know about the extremely terrible news about the passing away of Mrs Sheila Dikshit ji. It is a huge loss for Delhi and her contribution will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to her family members. May her soul rest in peace.

#04:15 pm: Fortis Escorts Hospital statement on Shiela Dikshit's demise: "Mrs. Sheila Dixit was brought in the morning on 20th July 2019 to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, New Delhi, in a critical condition with cardiac arrest. 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 20th of July 2019."

#04:06 pm: BREAKING News: Senior Congress leader and three-time former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who was rushed to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute following a cardiac arrest has died. She was 81.