‘Pained by his passing away’: PM Modi condoles death of first Delhi BJP President Vijay Kumar Malhotra

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday mourned the death of senior BJP leader and first Delhi BJP president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, saying he “played a vital role” in strengthening the party in the National Capital.

Malhotra, who was 93, passed away in New Delhi earlier in the day. His mortal remains have also been brought to his residence.

“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,” PM Narendra Modi said in a post on X.

The BJP Delhi unit in an X post said, “The news of the sudden demise of senior BJP leader and first president of the Delhi BJP, Professor Vijay Kumar Malhotra, is deeply saddening. The entire BJP family stands with his family in this hour of grief. May God grant peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti,” the party said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), in an official statement, confirmed his passing.

“Shri Vijay Kumar Malhotra Ji, a senior BJP leader aged 93 years, was admitted to AIIMS New Delhi, where he passed away in the morning of 30th September 2025,” AIIMS said in their statement.

Born on December 3, 1931, in Lahore, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan), Malhotra was the fourth of seven children of Kaviraj Khazan Chand. A politician and sports administrator, he was elected President of the Delhi Pradesh Jana Sangh (1972-75) and later twice as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi Pradesh (1977-80, 1980-84).

Alongside leaders such as Kedar Nath Sahni and Madan Lal Khurana, Malhotra is credited with keeping the BJP strong in Delhi for decades.

His most notable political victory came in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, when he defeated former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by a large margin.
Over his career, he served as a five-time Member of Parliament and a two-time MLA from Delhi, becoming one of the senior-most BJP figures in the capital.

In the 2004 general election, Malhotra was the only BJP candidate to win a seat in Delhi.

According to the BJP, Malhotra enjoyed an unblemished and clean image throughout his distinguished career. An educationist with a doctorate in Hindi literature, Malhotra was also active in social work and the administration of sports bodies, including chess and archery clubs in Delhi. (ANI)