▁had ▁long ▁active ▁career ▁in ▁politics ; ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁Coun c ill or ▁of ▁Del hi ' s ▁Metropolitan ▁Council ▁( Ch ief ▁Minister ▁equivalent , 1 9 6 7 ), ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Jan ata ▁Party , ▁Del hi ▁( 1 9 7 7 ) ▁and ▁B J P , ▁Del hi ▁( 1 9 8 0 – 8 4 ). ▁Al ong ▁with ▁Mr ▁Kid ar ▁N ath ▁Sah ani ▁and ▁Mad an ▁L al ▁Kh ur ana , ▁Mal hot ra ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁keeping ▁B J P ▁af loat ▁in ▁Del hi ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁ ▁His ▁biggest ▁political ▁victory ▁was ▁defe ating ▁the ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁India ▁Man m oh an ▁Singh ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁elections ▁by ▁a ▁huge ▁margin . ▁Mal hot ra ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁ 5 ▁time ▁MP ▁and ▁ 2 ▁time ▁M LA ▁from ▁Del hi , ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁ 4 5 ▁years , ▁making ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁B J P ' s ▁senior ▁most ▁figures ▁in ▁the ▁capital . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Indian ▁General ▁E lections , ▁Mal hot ra ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁B J P ▁candidate ▁to ▁win ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁Del hi , ▁with ▁the ▁Congress ▁winning ▁the ▁other ▁ 6 ▁seats . ▁Mal hot ra ▁has ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁spot less ▁and ▁clean ▁image ▁throughout ▁his ▁distinguished ▁career , ▁and ▁even ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 2 , ▁despite ▁not ▁offered ▁a ▁post ▁by