Sushma Swaraj did not follow BJP, PM Modi on Twitter; in fact, she followed nobody

Former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj who died at AIIMS, Delhi, on Tuesday, had over 13 million followers on Twitter, including her party BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, but followed none. The charismatic leader, who was always active on Twitter, used the platform to address issues faced by Indians across the world in real-time.

Her unique style has even encouraged her predecessor Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to emulate her approach as India's current foreign minister. From assuring the safe return of nurses stuck in Iraq to helping people facing several visa or travel-related issues, the minister helped everyone who needed any assistance from the Indian government.

Also read: Sushma Swaraj's top achievements: From student leader in 1970 to Foreign Minister in 2014

Some of the most-talked-about incidents that defined her tenure as the minister of external affairs included the release of Hamid Ansari in 2018 (Ansari was imprisoned in Pakistan for 6 years), evacuation of Indian citizens from Yemen in 2015 and release of 140 Indians stuck in war-torn Iraq in 2015.

@BJPLucknowBJP I am happy to inform that 140 Indians have been brought back from Basra. Efforts on for 28. Thanks for video.

- Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 19, 2015

Hamid Ansari was detained and arrested six years back after he went to Pakistan to meet a woman he had befriended through social media. He returned to India on December 18, 2018, after completing a three-year prison sentence in a Pakistani jail. https://t.co/yDMYXeL556

- ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2019

On hearing the sudden demise of the BJP leader, Ansari said: "She'll always stay alive in my heart. She was like a mother to me."

Sushma Swaraj passed away at the age of 67 at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, after she suffered a heart attack on Tuesday night. Political leaders and foreign ministry officials from across the world have expressed grief over Sushma Swaraj's death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reached the minister's residence and paid his last respects to the towering leader. PM Modi said Swaraj's demise was a "personal loss" for him. "She will be remembered fondly for everything that she's done for India," he said.

The body of former Union minister Sushma Swaraj will be kept for three hours at the BJP headquarters on Wednesday for people to pay tributes, BJP working President JP Nadda said. The body will be cremated with full state honours at Lodhi Road Electric Crematorium in Delhi around 3 PM today.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Sushma Swaraj passes away Live Updates: Delhi govt declares 2-day mourning for the veteran leader