NEW DELHI: Delhi’s former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit passed away at a hospital in the national capital on Saturday. 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.

Dr Ashok Seth, Director, Escorts Fortis, told ANI that Sheila Dikshit suffered a cardiac arrest at 3:15 pm. She was put on ventilator and at 3:55 pm she passed away peacefully.

Dikshit was president of Delhi Congress. She served as Delhi's chief minister for 15 years from 1998-2013. Known as a warm and affable politician, Dikshit carried out massive infrastructure development of Delhi during her tenure. She also launched a number of social welfare schemes with involvement of resident welfare associations as part of her participatory model of governance.

An able administrator, Dikshit could get along well with politicians from all parties for which she drew widespread respect. She unsuccessfully fought the recent Lok Sabha elections from the North-East Delhi constituency. She represented New Delhi constituency in Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

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. She also served as governor of Kerala.

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