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"Sushmaji shot into to fame in Karnataka when she contested against then Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the October 1999 mid-term Lok Sabha elections from Bellary in the state's northwest region. Though lost the election, she won the hearts of the people with her graceful conduct and decent campaign, a former BJP lawmaker G. Madhusudan told here.Sushma passed away at the state-run AIMS hospital in the national capital after a cardiac arrest. She was 67.Sushma's connection with the southern state dates back to the mid-1970s, when she was lodged for over a year from June 1975 in the Bangalore central jail after the Emergency was declared."Sushma was among the political leaders of the Jan Sangh party who were lodged in the jail along with our party's stalwarts Atal Behri Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, Madhu Dandavate and others in the Emergency era. She learnt to speak Kannada during her stay in the jail so well she not only remembered since then, but also campaigned effectively in the local language to connect with the native people," reminisced the party's three-time legislative council member Madhusudan.Though Sushma lost in the only parliamentary election she contested from the state, she maintained her association with the rich mining town, about 300 km from Bengaluru, and its people, especially women folk.Sushma used to visit Bellary every year since 2000 for over a decade during Shravan month (August) as per the Hindu calendar to perform 'Varamahalakshmi puja' (worship), which is done only by married women in south India on one of the four Fridays in the rainy month for peace, happiness and prosperity by invoking the blessing of Hindu Goddesss of wealth Lakshmi."Sushma was also one of the party's national leaders who campaigned across Karnataka during the general elections since March 1977, as she was popular and fluent in Kannada to speak and as a symbol of Indian women and their hoary traditions," added Madhusudan.In a related development, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda expressed sadness on Sushma's death and termed her departure a loss to the nation."May God give her family courage to bear the pain," tweeted Gowda, who is also the supremo of the state's regional party Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), which was till recently in power in the state.( With inputs from IANS )

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Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's demise is saddening and a personal loss to the country, said Saurabh Bhardwaj, a resident of Varanasi, who was rescued from Nigeria after Swaraj's intervention. ...

With the passsing away of Sushma Swaraj, netizens on Wednesday started demanding renaming of 'Akbar Bhawan' where the Overseas Indian Affairs-II Division of Ministry of External Affairs is housed to 'Swaraj Bhawan'. ...

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid last tributes to former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday. ...

Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Virat Kohli condoled the demise of former External Affairs Minister and veteran BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, who passed away following a cardiac arrest on Tuesday night. ...

Amid chants of 'Sushma ji amar rahe', the mortal remains of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were brought to BJP headquarters from her residence on Wednesday afternoon for people to pay homage. ...

Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's untimely demise on Tuesday night triggered a wave of shock and grief with political leaders, popular personalities and orgsations paying their tribute to the esteemed leader. ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP Working President JP Nadda and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan paid their last respects to former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj at latter's residence in the national capital. ...

The sudden demise of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on Tuesday night brought fond memories of her long association with Karnataka and Kannada language, a BJP leader recalled on early Wednesday. ...