Former Delhi Chief Minister & Congress leader Sheila Dikshit today passed away in Delhi at the age of 81 years. She is the longest serving Chief Minister of Delhi, from 1998 to 2013.
As per reports, Dikshit breathed her last at the Fortis Escorts Hospital in the national capital, informed Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Jitender Kumar Kochar.
The former Delhi Chief Minister was suffering from heart ailments and had undergone surgeries several times.
She was brought to the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute around 10.30 a.m. after she suffered a cardiac arrest. A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, led by Ashok Seth, Chairman of the institute, carried out advanced resuscitative measures.
"Her condition stabilised temporarily. But she had another cardiac arrest and despite all the efforts, she died at 3.55 p.m.," read the statement by the hospital.
Sources at the hospital said Dikshit had visited the facility in the past for check-ups.
"She was suffering from a heart problem for which she had undergone surgeries. Around 10-12 days back, she had visited the hospital for a check-up. She was also admitted for a day then," said the source.
Earlier this year, Dikshit was appointed as the new President of Delhi Congress.The three-time Delhi Chief Minister, had succeeded Ajay Maken, who quit as the Delhi Congress president on January 4 citing health reasons.
Following the demise of the former Delhi CM, several political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter to condole her death.
Later, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia informed that Delhi government has decided to declare 2-day state mourning over the demise of the former Delhi CM.