Veteran BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra.
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, a five-term Lok Sabha MP from Delhi, passed away on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) morning at the age of 93, after a brief illness. He had been undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for the past few days.Mr. Malhotra was the first president of the BJP’s Delhi unit. He had, under the party’s old avatar of Jan Sangh, also been elected the Chief Metropolitan Councillor of Delhi before its Statehood, in 1967, a position equivalent to that of the Chief Minister.Born in Lahore, Pakistan, on December 3, 1931, his family settled in Delhi after the Partition, and along with the late Madan Lal Khurana and the late Kidar Nath Sahni, he was one of the leading lights of the BJP’s Delhi unit. Apart from winning five Lok Sabha elections, he was also a two-term MLA from Delhi.In one of the five Lok Sabha elections that he won from Delhi, he defeated the late former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when the latter fought his maiden Lok Sabha election from the South Delhi constituency in 1999.President Droupadi Murmu visited the Malhotra residence in New Delhi to pay homage to the departed leader, and spoke with his family members, as did Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Mr. Modi lauded Mr. Malhotra’s contribution to public life. “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. He is also remembered for his parliamentary interventions. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” the PM said in a post on social media platform X.Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan expressed anguish over the passing of the BJP leader. “He was an outstanding leader, widely respected for his deep understanding of people’s concerns. Shri 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,” Mr. Radhakrishnan posted on X.BJP president J.P. Nadda recalled that Mr. Malhotra was known for his simplicity, integrity, and unwavering loyalty, adding that he not only played a key role in expanding the organisation in Delhi, but also guided and shaped countless workers with dedication.जनसंघ से लेकर जनता पार्टी और भाजपा तक संगठन को आकार और विस्तार देने में अहम भूमिका निभाने वाले भाजपा के वरिष्ठ नेता विजय कुमार मल्होत्रा जी के निधन से मन अत्यंत व्यथित है। दिल्ली भाजपा में अध्यक्ष हों, दिल्ली विधानसभा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष या एक जन प्रतिनिधि, विजय कुमार मल्होत्रा…— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 30, 2025In the history of the Jana Sangh and BJP, stalwarts like Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra have a special place. He assiduously worked to strengthen our Party in Delhi. Widely respected for his knowledge of Indian Constitution he was a seasoned Parliamentarian who worked tirelessly among…— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 30, 2025Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also paid tributes to the stalwart. Ms. Gupta called Mr. Malhotra the “guardian of all our karyakartas (party workers)” and said that “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”.“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,” Ms. Gupta added.The mortal remains of V.K. Malhotra will be brought to the Delhi BJP Office at Pant Marg on Wednesday for BJP workers to pay their tributes, to be followed by cremation on the same day. Published - September 30, 2025 09:28 am IST
