New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI) Veteran BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the party's first president in Delhi and a five-time MP from the city, passed away here on Tuesday morning. He was 93.
Malhotra was undergoing treatment at AIIMS for the last few days.
He was one of the prominent faces of 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 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.
Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan have expressed grief over Malhotra's demise. The Delhi government has cancelled several scheduled events.
Modi visited the veteran leader's official residence and paid last respects.
Earlier, he lauded Malhotra's contribution to public life and remembered him for strengthening the 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," Modi said on X.
"He is also remembered for his parliamentary interventions. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," Modi said in the post.
Vice-President 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 wrote on his official X handle.
BJP national president JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also paid tributes to the leader.
Gupta called Malhotra the "guardian of all our karyakartas" and said that his death is "an extremely painful and irreparable loss".
"From the days of the Jan Sangh to the establishment of the BJP, his life remained a living example of nationalism, organisational skills and discipline," the chief minister said in an X post in Hindi.
"As the first president of 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.
In a statement, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Malhotra's life was an example of simplicity and dedication to public service. Since the days of Jan Sangh, he worked tirelessly to expand the Sangh's ideology in Delhi, Sachdeva said.
"His life has always been, and will continue to be, a source of inspiration for all BJP workers," the Delhi BJP chief added.
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 Prime Minister Modi on Monday.
A five-time MP and two-time MLA from Delhi, Malhotra had defeated Congress candidate Manmohan Singh from South Delhi in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. Singh became the prime minister in 2004.
Several of the scheduled events of the Delhi government has been cancelled in view of the party leader'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 Singh Verma said on X.