Sushma Swaraj was the chief minister of Delhi for a brief period but city politicians fondly recall her simplicity and the quality of listening to MLAs, irrespective of their political affiliation, on issues concerning the national capital.
Swaraj passed away on Tuesday night due to cardiac arrest. She was the first woman chief minister of Delhi from October to December 1998.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, who was an MLA from 1993-1998, said Swaraj was dextrous at building relationships.
"She had good relations with leaders of several political parties when she was the Delhi chief minister. She attracted people due to her simplicity," Goel told PTI.
She heard the voice of opposition members on the issue of Delhi's development, the speaker said.
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Senior Congress leader Haroon Yusuf, who was an MLA at that time, said Delhi had lost a very big leader.
"We did not feel that we were in opposition as she would pay attention to all issues related to public welfare. She did not get involved in politics over caste and religion," he said.
The Congress leader also said that her ties with opposition members remained warm even after she moved to national politics again.
"Even after she was not the chief minister, she would talk to us when we met at social gatherings," he said.
Former Delhi MLA Shoaib Iqbal, who was the leader of the Janata Dal that time, said the people of the national capital would always remember her because of her simple personality.
The BJP had chosen her for the post of chief minister of Delhi as she was non-controversial leader, Iqbal said, adding that if she did not like opposition's arguments, she would not get irritated.
"She had a different personality. When she was the chief minister of Delhi, she would hear MLAs of every political party," Iqbal said.
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