Kapil Mishra has been named BJP candidate from Model Town in north Delhi.
Kapil Mishra, former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader-turned BJP candidate for the Delhi election, has controversially compared the February 8 polls to an "India-Pakistan" match.
"India vs Pakistan, 8 February, Delhi. India and Pakistan will compete on the streets of Delhi," tweeted Kapil Mishra, a former Delhi minister known to shoot his mouth off and who recently made several divisive comments.
Mr Mishra, who was close to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and in the inner circle of AAP, had a bitter parting with both after he publicly accused Mr Kejriwal of corruption.
Even before his official exit from AAP, his attacks became more and more vitriolic against Mr Kejriwal, a man he previously doted on. Without any formal announcement, the 39-year-old even campaigned for BJP candidates in last year's national election. He joined the BJP in August.
Last week, the BJP named him as the candidate from Model Town in north Delhi, pitting him against his former colleague and two-time AAP legislator Akhilesh Pati Tripathi.
AAP complained to the Chief Election Officer and said Mr Mishra's nomination should be cancelled. The party said the rules made it mandatory for those who used government accommodation to furnish no-dues certificate about water, electricity and telephone expenses, but Mr Mishra had not even mentioned it in his papers.
The results of the Delhi election will be announced on February 11. AAP, which won 67 of Delhi's 70 seats in the previous election, leaving only three for the BJP, hopes to repeat its successful run in the capital. The BJP, however, says Arvind Kejriwal's party will face anti-incumbency for not performing in the past five years.