"She (Sushma Swaraj) was a dear family friend for me," Shatrughan Sinha said (File Photo)

Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha Wednesday said he was deeply saddened by the sudden death of "dear family friend" Sushma Swaraj with whom he had a long association.

Mr Sinha, who quit BJP to join Congress on the eve of 2019 general elections, fondly remembered his relationship with Sushma Swaraj, former external affairs minister, who died on Tuesday night in Delhi.

"My association with her started when I was not in BJP. When I became a member of the BJP, the bond deepened," he told PTI.

"She was a dear family friend for me," Mr Sinha said expressing shock at her death.

He described the veteran leader as "a lady of strength who displayed rare quality of professionalism with a human touch."

Mr Sinha, who unsuccessfully contested as a Congress candidate from his native Patna Sahib seat in Bihar in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, revealed that he had spoken to Sushma Swaraj about his plans to quit the party.

She had told him that even if someone pulls her by her hair she will not leave BJP.

Mr Sinha was a cabinet colleague of Sushma Swaraj in the NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.