T'gana CM, political leaders condole death of Sushma Swaraj

Several political leaders including Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya condoled the death of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday.

In his condolence message late on Tuesday night, Rao praised Swaraj's services to the nation in different capacities.

Dattatreya, who described Swaraj as an embodiment of Indian culture, on Wednesday said the departed leader strived for BJP's rise along with its top leaders late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani.

Swaraj's role during separate Telangana agitation is unforgettable as she spoke about the injustice to Telangana both inside parliament (as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha) and outside, he said.

He recalled that Swarajcame to be regarded as 'Telangana Chinnamma' (younger mother) for her role.

Paying rich tributes to Swaraj, state BJP president K Laxman said the departed leader had made an appeal in the Parliament to the youth of Telangana not to commit suicides for the sake of separate state.

Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy termed her demise as a "great loss" to the country.

K T Rama Rao, the working president of ruling TRS, said people of Telangana would forever remember Swaraj's support to the statehood cause.

"Heartfelt condolences on the demise of former Union Minister Smt #SushmaSwaraj ji. Telangana people will forever remember her support to the statehood cause. RIP Chinnamma," Rama Rao tweeted.

The veteran leader of the BJP, who breathed her last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Tuesday night following a massive cardiac arrest, was 67.