She Was Reticent But Her Actions Spoke For Her: Sheila Dikshit

CNN-News18 caught up with three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to seek her views on Jayalalithaa the politician.

Dikshit maintained that Tamil Nadu was at the centre of Jayalalithaa's decisions and she acted keeping that in mind.

Here is the complete interaction:

Q. She was seen as a no-nonsense politician, often termed dictatorial. What was the sense you got as a fellow politician in your interactions?

Sheila Dikshit: Yes, she was reticent. She did not speak much. But that did not translate into her being a cold person. Her actions spoke for her. She did a lot of development work - worked for the women and poor. The adulation and the outpouring of grief is testimony to that.

I would not call her dictatorial either.

Q. She was often seen as unpredictable in her alliance at the Centre. Did she give Congress a tough time?

Sheila Dikshit: Would not say she gave Congress a tough time. I would say she had her own constituency and was strong enough to take a decision based on that. Tamil Nadu was at the centre of her decisions and when she felt it was compromised she acted.

Q. Jayalalithaa had herself said in an interview that she did not belong to a political family and she was a self-made woman. In that capacity, was her political journey admirable considering she was an actress and that by itself would mean she would not be taken seriously as a politician?

Sheila Dikshit: South India has several examples of actors turned politicians. Her own predecessor in the party was and so was an Andhra CM. The important thing is how she conducted herself as a politician and I think in that sense she was successful.