When Arun Jaitley expressed condolence after Sushma's demise
As tributes poured in for former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who died at AIIMS on Saturday after a prolonged illness, his tweet condoling Sushma Swaraj's death on August 7 has assumed new significance.
A long-standing cabinet colleague and a fellow member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, Sushma Swaraj's sudden death left Jaitley stunned. Just two days before he was admitted at AIIMS, Jaitley had tweeted: "Saddened, pained & broken on the demise of Sushmaji."
The two leaders who have been active and made their marks in the pre-Modi era made a smooth transition after Narendra Modi won a landslide victory in 2014. Unlike many, they comfortably fitted in Modi's working style and were soon considered to be the two best ministers in the Prime Minister's cabinet. In that way, Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj shared a personal bond as well.
So the sudden news of Sushma Swaraj's demise made an ailing Jaitley tweet his second last tweet of his life where he said: "She was one of the most outstanding politicians in the present era. She distinguished in all positions. She held senior positions with the party, NDA government and while in opposition. She leaves behind a void which is difficult to fill."
Ironically, Jaitley himself has left a void in the BJP that will be equally tough to fill, considering the finesse with which he could reach out to the Opposition. He was ill for a long time. In May, Jaitley was admitted in AIIMS and had undergone a renal transplant on May 14, 2014. In September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery.
