Veteran BJP leader VK Malhotra cremated with full state honours

Veteran BJP leader and Jana Sangh-era stalwart Vijay Kumar Malhotra was cremated with full state honours at the Lodhi Road crematorium here on Wednesday afternoon.

The solemn ceremony, held amid the chanting of mantras, saw the participation of top BJP leaders, party workers and admirers who came together to bid farewell to one of the tallest figures of Delhi’s political landscape.

Malhotra’s son Ajay performed the last rites. Earlier in the day, his mortal remains were taken from his residence on Rakabganj Road to the Delhi BJP office where a large number of leaders, including MPs, MLAs, ministers and workers paid their last respects to the veteran BJP leader.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and senior leaders, including Delhi ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Parvesh Verma, MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and Bansuri Swaraj, offered floral tributes to the departed soul.

Several other senior functionaries of the BJP and affiliated organisations also paid homage to the veteran BJP leader. These included national general secretary Arun Singh, Delhi BJP general secretary Vishnu Mittal, Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, party co-incharge Alka Gurjar, VHP international president Alok Kumar, BJP national joint general secretary Shiv Prakash and BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh.

Remembered as the first president of the Delhi BJP after the party was founded in 1980, Malhotra was widely respected as a seasoned parliamentarian, organisational leader and a bridge between generations of BJP leaders.