New Delhi, Aug 6 A fantastic orator and seasoned parliamentarian and a creator of Twitter Diplomacy, she might go down the memory lane as the best woman Prime Minister India never had.
Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha after veteran L K Adavani had decided to opt out from the coveted position, Sushma Swaraj was the face of BJP's battle against corruption-ridden UPA dispensation between 2010 and 2014.
However, as the lady luck would have it, in the subsequent period, her political career got sidelined as the saffron outfit banked on the powerful 'image' of Narendra Modi - a right synthesis of a catalyst for development and Hindutva face of the BJP.
She became External Affairs Minister under Prime Minister Narendra Modi but there was a alleged 'chill' between the two leaders - at least the public perception was largely so.
However, look at the irony of things; just two-three hours back she took to social network and thanked Prime Minister for revoking Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and wrote: ''Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime".
True it was a dream come true for a woman leader in a party - where due to historical reasons or ideological backlog of RSS - male chauvanism was considered a known thing even a few years back.
Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday night. She was 67.She is survived by her husband Swaraj Kaushal, former Mizoram Governor and daughter Bansuri.Sources said the senior BJP leader, who did not contest this year's election on health ground, was brought to the AIIMS around 2130 hrs and was rushed to the emergency ward.Late Sushma Swaraj had a kidney transplant in 2016 and once said "as precaution, I have been advised to avoid dust".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled her death saying her death truly marks the end of "a glorious chapter in Indian politics".
Swaraj had friends across the board and was known for her efficacy as a politician, as a spokesperson for BJP and as an administrator.
A few years back, veteran L K Advani hailed Sushma Swaraj's contribution as Health Minister under Vajpayee and he was so much impressed by her oratory skills that he had said, "I am hardly a good speaker. But Sushmaji is one. After Vajpayeeji, if anybody had given me complex about speaking in public or in Parliament it is Sushma Swaraj".
Late Swaraj was blue-eyed-girl of patriarch L K Advani in more ways than one and after 2009 poll debacle when BJP and Advani himself decided to opt for a change in leadership in the Lok Sabha; Sushma Swaraj used to be very particular and used to tell media: "Never report, I have replaced Advaniji...We have grown up under him. It is only at his directives that I decided to take the responsibility as Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha".
Her speech in Lower House of Parliament on the day the Bill on creation of Telangana state was passed was considered as one of the best in recent times.
As External Affairs Minister since 2014, while PM Modi dominated the serious diplomatic scene, Late Swaraj discovered the tool of Twitter and excelled in that as she made friends worldwide and helped Indians in distress.
It is not without good reason that in December 2016, Sushma Swaraj was listed among 100 leading global thinkers for the year 2016 by a leading international magazine for 'fashioning a novel brand of Twitter diplomacy'. The honour came from reputed periodical 'Foreign Policy'.
In June 26, 2017, Prime Minister Modi had lauded Late Sushma Swaraj for giving 'human face' to diplomacy and had said that the latter's effective use of social networking can be linked to 'good governance'.
So much has been the power of her Twitter-linked delivery in governance that new External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, who succeeded her, had in June pledged to "follow" on the footsteps of his predecessor Swaraj.
"My first tweet. Thank you all for the best wishes. Honoured to be given this responsibility. Proud to follow on the footsteps of Sushma Swaraj ji," Dr Jaishankar tweeted.
In another missive in the social networking site, he wrote: "We at Team MEA India continue to be at your service 24x7. Happy to be leading the effort with my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji".
Born on February 14, 1953, a trained legal counsel Late Swaraj has served as the Minister of External Affairs of India from May 26, 2014 to May 30, 2019.
She had been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
At the age of 25 in 1977, Sushma then became the youngest cabinet minister of of Haryana.
She also served as Chief Minister of Delhi from October 13, 1998 to December 3, 1998.
At the behest of Vajpayee and Advani, Late Swaraj was fielded against Sonia Gandhi from the Bellary constituency in Karnataka in 1999 but she lost the poll.
Former External Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj passed away on late Tuesday evening.
She was 67.
Swaraj was rushed to AIIMS in critical condition where she was declared dead, sources said.
Several top BJP leaders and Union Ministers including party BJP MPs have rushed to AIIMS.
Condolences from various public figures have started pouring in too.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of senior BJP leader and said "a glorious chapter in Indian politics" came to an end.
Born on February 14, 1953, a trained legal counsel Late Swaraj has served as the Minister of External Affairs of India from May 26, 2014 to May 30, 2019.
She had been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
At the age of 25 in 1977, Sushma then became the youngest cabinet minister of of Haryana.
She also served as Chief Minister of Delhi from October 13, 1998 to December 3, 1998.
As they say some season just comes in, with Sushma Swaraj's demise, the national capital has lost yet another political stalwart and in fact the third 'former chief ministers' since October last.
On October 27, 2018 Madan Lal Khurana breathed his last. While an ailing Swaraj died on Tuesday night, three-time chief minister and veteran Congress leader Sheila Dikshit passed away on July 20.
Former BJP chief of city unit Mange Lal Garg also expired in July.
Late Swaraj - survived by her husband Swaraj Kaushal and daughter Bansuri passed away following cardiac arrest.
In a rather emotive Twitter missive, Union Minister Smriti Irani wrote: "I have an axe to grind with you Didi (Sushma Swaraj) . You made Bansuri pick a restaurant to take me for a celebratory lunch. You left without fulfilling your promise to the two of us".
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