Veteran Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai passes away at 93

Senior Congress stalwart Mohsina Kidwai passed away early Wednesday morning, her party confirmed in a statement. She was 93.

According to a statement issued by the Indian National Congress, Kidwai breathed her last at 4:00 AM in a hospital. A towering figure in Indian politics, she had a long and distinguished career spanning several decades, during which she held multiple key positions in both the party and the government.

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Kidwai served as a Union Minister and was also a former Member of Parliament. Within the Congress, she played a pivotal organisational role, serving as an All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and as a member of both the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and the Central Election Committee (CEC). She also held the important administrative position of Chairperson of the Haj Committee, overseeing arrangements for Indian pilgrims undertaking the annual Haj pilgrimage.

Party leaders and colleagues expressed deep sorrow over her passing, remembering her as a dedicated leader who devoted her life to public service and the party’s ideals. “She was a pillar of strength for the Congress and a guiding force for many of us,” a senior party leader said, adding that her contributions to governance and party organisation would be remembered for years to come.

Her mortal remains will be taken from her residence in Noida at 3:00 PM on Wednesday. She will be laid to rest at the Nizamuddin graveyard at around 5:00 PM, according to the party statement.

Kidwai’s passing marks the end of an era for the Congress, with many acknowledging her role in shaping the party through some of its most defining moments.