Dikshit’s last instruction: Protest at BJP office if standoff between Priyanka, UP govt goes on

As the Delhi Congress chief, Sheila Dikshit's last instruction to party workers was to stage a protest outside BJP headquarters if the standoff between party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the Uttar Pradesh government did not end Saturday, said a former cabinet colleague.

On Friday, the Delhi Congress had sent out a message in Dikshit's name, urging party leaders and workers to come for a mass protest at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg against the detention of Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh.

She was missing from the protest, which was, instead, led by Haroon Yusuf, the working president of the Delhi Congress.

On Friday evening though, she instructed her party members to again stage a protest the next day if the standoff did not end.

"Had the stand-off between the UP government and Priyanka Gandhi not ended today, then the Delhi Congress was to stage a protest outside BJP headquarters. This was Sheila Dikshit's last instruction as the Delhi Pradesh chief on Friday evening," said a teary-eyed Kiran Walia, who was a minister in Dikshit's cabinet.

"Events took a different turn as far as Uttar Pradesh was concerned (as Priyanka Gandhi was allowed to meet families of Sonbhadra victims), else we would have protested," Walia said after paying tributes to the former chief minister at her residence.

The Delhi government has announced two-day state mourning in Dikshit’s memory, and also to accord her a state funeral.

"Delhi government has decided to observe a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect in the memory of former Chief Minister and veteran leader Sheila Dikshit. She will be accorded a state funeral," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted.