Delhi Polls: Discord Emerges In BJP? Sitting MLA Slams Party For Naming Kapil Mishra, Lekhi Eyes Delhi Cantt

Delhi Election 2025: The BJP has released two candidate lists for the Assembly elections, but 12 constituencies remain undecided due to internal discord.

File Photo of BJP leaders Kapil Mishra and Meenakashi Lekhi

Source : PTI

Delhi Election 2025: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released two lists of candidates featuring 29 names each for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. However, the party is yet to finalise candidates for 12 constituencies, with the polls less than a month away. Sources suggest that the delay is due to concerns over internal rebellion in these seats.  

The names for these 12 seats will be announced in the coming days. Among the constituencies is Delhi Cantonment, where senior BJP leader Meenakashi Lekhi is keen to contest. However, Manish Singh reportedly wields significant influence in the area, complicating the decision.  

In Karawal Nagar, the situation has escalated, with sitting BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht openly expressing discontent after being replaced in his constituency as a candidate by Kapil Mishra. Bisht expressed his intention to contest as an independent candidate but later agreed to move to the new seat promised by the BJP. 

He revealed that the BJP leadership offered him a ticket from Mustafabad. During an interview with ABP News, Bisht broke down, expressing both anger and sadness over the decision, "Definitely it is painful when hard work does not yield desired results. But this party's decision, I will fight Mustafabad and win."

BREAKING | टिकट कटने से नाराज मोहन बिष्ट abp न्यूज़ से बातचीत के दौरान हुए भावुक@akhileshanandd @DivyankarTiwari https://t.co/smwhXUROiK #BJP #Delhi #DelhiNews #MohanSinghBisht #DelhiElections2025 pic.twitter.com/mJJjnpe39A

— ABP News (@ABPNews) January 12, 2025

"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," Bisht told news agency ANI, cautioning his party against assuming that any candidate could secure a victory.

Mohan Bisht, who defeated AAP's Durgesh Pathak in 2020 and contested against Kapil Mishra in 2015 when Kapil Mishra was an AAP member, had stressed that he would not contest from any other constituency. He also dismissed rumours of joining the Congress, stating that he will file his nomination for Karawal Nagar before 17 January.

The BJP is treading cautiously, aware that other leaders may adopt similar rebellious stances. The two lists released so far include some new names who defected to the BJP from the AAP and the Congress, such as Kailash Gahlot and Arvinder Singh Lovely, as well as individuals who faced defeat in previous elections.  

Delhi Election 2025: Speculations Rife Over Candidature Of Harsh Vardhan, Nupur Sharma

Notable leaders like former Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Nupur Sharma are also under consideration, though their candidature will only be confirmed in the final list. Harsh Vardhan had announced his retirement from active politics ahead of the Lok Sabha election 2024 while Nupur Sharma was expelled from the party as her remarks on Islam sparked nationwide outrage and were also slammed by the Supreme Court.

Nupur Sharma's name has reportedly come up to contest from East Delhi's Babarpur seat.

The inclusion of candidates who lost in previous elections, as well as the decision to nominate new faces in constituencies held by BJP incumbents, has reportedly created an internal rift.  

The BJP, which has faced an extended dry spell in Delhi elections, is putting its full strength into the 2025 polls. The party is wary of the damage internal conflicts could inflict on its electoral prospects.