Vijay Kumar Malhotra passes away: Delhi's first BJP president, defeated Ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Digital Desk

Senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 93. He had been admitted to AIIMS Delhi for the past few days. AIIMS announced his death this morning.

Malhotra was a five-time MP and two-time MLA from Delhi. He became the first state president of the Delhi Assembly in 1980. He defeated Congress candidate Manmohan Singh from South Delhi in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections.

His body was placed at his residence in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and several other senior BJP leaders arrived to pay their respects.

PM remembered Vijay

"Vijay Kumar Malhotra was a great leader with a deep understanding of public issues. He played a key role in strengthening our party in Delhi. He is also remembered for his intervention in parliamentary matters. His demise is deeply saddening," Modi said on X.

Vijay Kumar Malhotra was the only BJP candidate to win a parliamentary seat in Delhi in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, while the Congress won the remaining six seats.

He was also projected as the party's chief ministerial face in the 2008 elections. However, the Congress, led by Sheila Dikshit, continued its winning streak that year.

Malhotra subsequently became the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. He is credited with keeping the BJP afloat in Delhi. During his nearly 45-year political career, he was known for his impeccable image.