'Sushma Swaraj Ji, an extraordinary political leader': Rahul Gandhi's last tribute to Sushma Swaraj

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid their last tributes to former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Calling Swaraj’s demise ‘shocking’, Rahul tweeted, “I’m shocked to hear about the demise of Sushma Swaraj Ji, an extraordinary political leader, a gifted orator & an exceptional Parliamentarian, with friendships across party lines. My condolences to her family in this hour of grief. May her soul rest in peace.”

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday night. She was 67. The senior BJP leader was brought to AIIMS around 9:30pm and was straight away taken to the emergency ward. AIIMS doctors said she died of a cardiac arrest. 

Condoling the demise of BJP stalwart, the party said, “We are saddened to hear about the untimely demise of Smt Sushma Swaraj. Our condolences to her family and loved ones.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Sushma Swaraj lauded the current dispensation for abrogating Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The tweet by Sushma congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Centre's bold move to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the border state into two Union Territories, somehow indicated that it was the last day of her life.

After PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony last month, Sushma Swaraj wrote an emotional message on Twitter, thanking PM Narendra Modi for giving her the opportunity to hold the office for five years.

Swaraj had a kidney transplant in 2016 and had opted out of contesting Lok Sabha polls earlier this year for health reasons. She is survived by her husband Swaraj Kaushal and daughter Bansuri.