'Big mistake': Delhi BJP MLA's after-party removes Kapil Mishra from his seat

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Delhi BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht has slammed the party's decision to field colleague Kapil Mishra from his seat for the upcoming polls, saying they have made a "big mistake". The BJP named Mr Mishra as its candidate from Karawal Nagar yesterday, replacing Mr Bisht who had won the 2020 elections against the AAP's Durgesh Pathak. Mr Bisht, who has won all except one assembly election from here since 1998, has asserted he won't move to another seat and will file his nomination from Karawal Nagar.


"The BJP thinks they will field anyone and he will win. This is a big mistake. Only time will tell what will happen in Burari, Karawal Nagar, Ghonda, Seelampur, Gokalpuri, and Nand Nagri seats. I will not contest from any other seat. I will file my nomination from Karawal Nagar seat before January 17," the veteran politician told news agency ANI.

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Mr Mishra, however, has predicted a big victory and said, "The people of Karawal Nagar are excited and we will register a big win here. There is a wave of transformation in Delhi. BJP is going to form the government here."


In the 2015 elections, Mr Mishra had contested from the Karawal Nagar seat on an AAP ticket and defeated Mr Bisht. He went on to join the AAP cabinet, but it was short-lived. He was dropped as a minister and suspended from the party in 2017 after he accused senior AAP leaders of corruption.


Mr Mishra joined the BJP in 2019 ahead of the elections and shot to the headlines after referring to anti-citizenship law protest sites as "mini Pakistans". He had even issued an ultimatum to the Delhi Police to clear the protest sites in Jaffrabad and Chandbagh or face consequences.


The BJP is vying to dethrone the AAP from power in the national capital where the assembly elections will be held on February 5. The votes will be counted on February 8.