Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit Laid To Rest With Full State Honours

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was laid to rest with full state honours at the Nigambodh ghat in New Delhi

New Delhi: Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was laid to rest with full state honours at the Nigambodh ghat in New Delhi. The Congress veteran passed away on Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest.  Several senior Congress and BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath and others arrived at the ghat to take part in the last rites of the eminent political figure. Her mortal remains were taken to the Nigambodh Ghat for the final rites, from the Congress Headquarters. Earlier, the remains were brought to Congress Headquarters from her Nizamuddin East residence, for people to pay their last respects to the three-term former Delhi CM. UPA chief Sonia Gandhi who arrived at the Congress HQ, with daughter Priyanka Gandhi , said Dikshit's demise was a personal loss for her. Rahul Gandhi could not reach there as he is currently in abroad. He is likely to fly back to India to attend Dikshit's last rites, sources said. "She was a great support for me. She became almost an elder sister & a friend. This is a big loss for Congress party. I will always remember her," said the UPA chief. Her mortal remains were kept at her Nizamuddin East residence after her demise, where several leaders from Congress and opposition parties, visited to pay their last respects, and the last rites would be performed today at the Nigambodh Ghat after 2:30pm Delhi Congress informed. BJP veterans like LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj were among those who paid respects to Dikshit on Sunday. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, also went to her residence early morning to pay respects to the veteran Congress leader. Dikshit breathed her last at 3.55 pm at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, doctors said. The Delhi government declared a two-day mourning in the national capital as a mark of respect for the former chief minister.

Sheila Dikshit: Dedicated Politician Who Transformed Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited her residence and was accompanied by Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ahmed Patel, Kiran Walia, Jagdish Tytler, Shivraj Patil, Nagma and Ashok Walia, BJP's Vijay Goel and CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat were among those who came to pay their last respects. 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. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among those who condoled her death. WATCH: