Delhi high court allows BJP leader Kapil Mishra to withdraw plea against disqualification

BJP leader Kapil Mishra had earlier said in his petition that the Speaker disqualified him, assuming he had voluntarily given up membership of AAP on January 27.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed BJP leader and former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra to withdraw his plea, challenging his disqualification by the Delhi Assembly speaker.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed BJP leader and former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra to withdraw his plea, challenging his disqualification by the Delhi Assembly speaker. (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)

“I have joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), my sole mission now is to throw out the corrupt Kejriwal government from Delhi,” Mishra later told reporters outside the court.

Mishra’s lawyer Ashwani Kumar Dubey had requested the court to allow him to withdraw the plea.

Mishra had earlier said in his petition that the Speaker disqualified him, assuming he had voluntarily given up membership of AAP on January 27. It said the Speaker deliberately ignored the fact that he had attended the Budget Session of Delhi Assembly from February 22 to February 28 and followed all orders issued by the AAP chief whip and supported all bills, proposals and resolutions tabled by the government.

Mishra had contended that other AAP leaders such as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had shared stage with rival political parties such as the Congress and hence there cannot be different yardsticks for members.

In his plea, Mishra said the disqualification order was illegal as he was not provided any opportunity to present his case.