Sheila Dikshit's last journey begins; mortal remains taken to Congress headquarters

Scores of people turned up to pay homage to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as her body was brought to the Congress headquarters on July 21.

The three-time chief minister and senior Congress leader, who gave Delhi its modern look, passed away on July 20 afternoon at a private hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Congress workers jostled to have a glimpse of their leader as the body was brought in a glass casket from her Nizamuddin residence to the party headquarters.

The truck carrying the casket moved slowly as the road was packed with supporters who chanted 'Jab tak suraj chand rahega Sheila ji ka naam rahega'.

Several top Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel and chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath, paid their last respects to Dikshit at the Congress office.

Earlier in the day, BJP patriarch L K Advani and former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited Dikshit's residence and paid homage.

Most of the people had some encounter with Dikshit during her 15 years stint as the chief minister of the national capital.

Dikshit's friend Anastasia Gill, former Delhi Minority Commission Member, said she will remember the Congress leader for her strong character and determination.

"Sheila treated everyone equally and it's her determination that she fought back the allegations of corruption during her third term as chief minister," Gill said.

Congress worker Virender Kumar Chaudhary, who is physically challenged, recalled his visit to Dikshit four days ago.

He recollected how Dikshit ensured cycles for the physically challenged and also her assistance in securing admission for his daughter at a college in 2008.

Dikshit's body will also be taken to the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee officer, the city unit which she headed until her death.