Sonia, Priyanka pay tributes to Sheila Dikshit at Congress headquarters

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi paid tributes to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the party headquarters here on Sunday.

Dikshit's mortal remains arrived at the Congress headquarters from her residence in Nizamuddin earlier today.

"I used to look up to her for advice in politics. She became like an elder sister and a friend. I am sure all my colleagues will also miss her. Apart from politics, she had a great affinity for arts and caricature which made her different from other politicians. Of course, Delhi will never forget her for the work she did here. She literally transformed Delhi," Sonia told reporters here.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress leaders Ajay Maken, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Kapil Sibal also paid tributes to Dikshit at the party headquarters.

Earlier today, senior Congress leader Motilal Vora, Rajya Sabha MP Mohsina Kidwai, paid tributes to Dikshit at her residence in Nizamuddin.

"Sheilaji was a tough politician and a great person. I knew her for 25-30 years and had good relations with her family. The news of her death is very saddening, nobody can forget her contribution to Delhi. It is because of her popularity that people from all parties are coming to pay tributes to her," Vora told ANI.

Kidwai called Dikshit's death a "personal loss" and said she had worked with the former Delhi CM for a long time and found her to be a very "well-connected and compassionate" politician.

Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also paid tributes to Dikshit.

"There are very few people who are not tied down to the political party, nobody ever considered Sheilaji as an enemy, she believed in unity. Everybody believes that she was the best CM Delhi has ever witnessed," Singhvi said.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla also praised Dikshit and said she will be remembered: "for her contributions in developing Delhi.