Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday paid tribute to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on her death anniversary.
Taking to social media, Gupta said, “Humble tribute to former Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit ji on her death anniversary.”
Dikshit, a senior Congress leader and the longest-serving Chief Minister of Delhi, led the city for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2013.
Remembering her contribution, the Congress party said on X: “Respectful tribute on the death anniversary of Delhi’s former Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit ji. Her commitment to development and dedication to public service will always continue to inspire us all.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage, describing Dikshit as a visionary leader. “On her punyatithi, we pay our heartfelt tributes to the former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who profoundly transformed the city. Her progressive policies and unwavering dedication to the well-being of its citizens created a lasting legacy of inclusivity and growth,” he said.
Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal also joined in remembering her, saying, “On the death anniversary of Delhi’s former Chief Minister Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, I pay my respectful homage to her.”
Dikshit entered national politics under the leadership of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who included her in his council of ministers in 1984. She represented Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj constituency in the Lok Sabha from 1984 to 1989, serving as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and later working in the Prime Minister’s Office.
During her parliamentary tenure, she served on the Estimates Committee of the Lok Sabha and chaired the committee for the commemoration of 40 years of India’s Independence and Jawaharlal Nehru’s centenary. Dikshit also represented India at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women from 1984 to 1989.
Although she lost the 1998 Lok Sabha elections from East Delhi, Dikshit made a swift political comeback that same year, taking charge as Chief Minister of Delhi. She served three full terms, representing the Gole Market constituency in 1998 and 2003, and the New Delhi constituency from 2008.
Sheila Dikshit passed away in 2019 at the age of 81.
IANS