BJP veteran Vijay Kumar Malhotra passes away at 93

New Delhi | Veteran BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the first president of the party's Delhi unit and a five-time former MP from the city, passed away here on Tuesday morning. He was 93.

Malhotra was undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the last few days.

He was one of the prominent faces of the Delhi BJP who served as the leader of opposition in the Assembly and was also projected as the party's chief-ministerial face during the 2008 election, in which the Congress under Sheila Dikshit maintained its winning streak.

His mortal remains will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office on Pandit Pant Marg from 12 noon to 2 pm on October 1 for mourners to pay their last respects. The cremation will take place at the Lodhi Road crematorium.

His family includes his wife, Krishna Malhotra, son Ajay Malhotra and daughter Anupama Malik.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, expressed grief over Malhotra's demise. The Delhi government has cancelled several scheduled events.

Murmu, Radhakrishnan, Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, former president Ram Nath Kovind and BJP chief J P Nadda visited the veteran leader's residence and paid their last respects.

Earlier, Modi lauded Malhotra's contribution to public life and remembered him for strengthening the saffron party in Delhi.

"Shri Vijay Kumar Malhotra Ji distinguished himself as an outstanding leader, who had a very good understanding of people's issues. He played a vital role in strengthening our party in Delhi," the prime minister said in a post on X.

"He is also remembered for his parliamentary interventions. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," he added.

Radhakrishnan expressed anguish over the passing away of the BJP stalwart.

"He was an outstanding leader, widely respected for his deep understanding of people's concerns. Malhotra Ji's invaluable contributions to public life, including in the field of sports administration, will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," the vice-president said in a post from his official X handle.

Nadda and Gupta also paid tributes to Malhotra.

The Delhi government has announced a daylong state mourning on Wednesday.

Gupta called Malhotra the "guardian of all our (BJP) karyakartas" and said his death is "an extremely painful and irreparable loss".

"From the days of the Jana Sangh to the establishment of the BJP, his life remained a living example of nationalism, organisational skills and discipline," the chief minister said in a post in Hindi on X.

"As the first president of the Delhi BJP, he strengthened the foundation of the organisation and guided countless workers on the path of service and dedication. His demise has left a deep void not only in the BJP family but also in social life at large," she added.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Malhotra's life was an example of simplicity and dedication to public service. Since the days of the Jana Sangh, he worked tirelessly to expand the Sangh's ideology in Delhi, Sachdeva said in a statement.

"His life has always been, and will continue to be, a source of inspiration for all BJP workers," he added.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal said the death of the BJP veteran is "extremely heartbreaking".

"The news of the demise of Shri V K Malhotra Ji, a senior leader of the Delhi BJP, is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed soul and provide a place at his divine feet. My condolences are with the bereaved family," he said.

Incidentally, Malhotra's demise came a day after the Delhi BJP got a permanent office at DDU Marg, which was inaugurated by Modi on Monday.

A five-time former MP and two-time former MLA from Delhi, Malhotra defeated Congress candidate Manmohan Singh from the South Delhi constituency in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. Singh went to become the prime minister in 2004.

Several of the scheduled events of the Delhi government have been cancelled in view of Malhotra's demise.

"Due to the demise of senior BJP leader and our guide, Shri Vijay Kumar Malhotra ji, the proposed DJB function at Keshopur STP, which was to be done by Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji today, has been postponed. The new date for the programme will be announced shortly. We all together pay our heartfelt tribute to the departed soul," Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said in a post on X.