Delhi to observe holiday on Monday

NEW DELHI: All MCD schools and offices will remain closed on Monday as a mark of respect to former Delhi Chief Minister Saheb Singh Verma, who died in a road accident near Alwar in Rajasthan on Friday.

"As a mark of respect to the departed leader all MCD schools and offices will remain closed tomorrow (Monday), Mayor Aarti Mehra announced.

The Delhi Government has already declared a holiday on Monday.

The body of the former Delhi chief minister was brought to the party headquarters here this morning for people to pay their last respects.

Senior BJP leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, party president Rajnath Singh and Shahnawaz Hussain, received the body which was brought from Verma's Tughlak Lane residence.

The body will lie in state till late afternoon.

A large number of party workers and people from all walks of life also gathered there to pay last respects.

The funeral will be held later in the evening at Verma's native village Mundka which is expected to be attended by all party leaders.