BJP doors open for Kapil Mishra, need friends like him: Minister Vijay Goel

New Delhi: Union minister Vijay Goel called on Kapil Mishra, rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker and former minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government, on Sunday and said the "doors of the BJP are open for him".

Goel's visit was part of the BJP's nationwide campaign, "Sampark for Samarthan (Contact for support)", ahead of the 2019 national election.

"The BJP's doors have been open for him since he parted ways with the AAP. Now he has to take a decision," Goel told reporters later.

"We need friends like Kapil Mishra," he said, adding that he had known him even before Kapil Mishra joined AAP.

Kapil Mishra, former Delhi Water Minister, was suspended in 2017 after he publicly targeted the Chief Minister and another minister, alleging corruption. He accused Arvind Kejriwal of accepting bribe from Health Minister Satyendra Jain.

He was later sacked from the government on the basis of "non-performance".

Since the bitter exit, Kapil Mishra has taken every opportunity to attack AAP and its chief.

Vijay Goel, the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, reportedly briefed the rebel about the schemes and policies of the BJP-led central government and presented him with the party's promotional booklet titled "Saaf Niyat, Sahi Vikas".

Goel praised Mishra for his "social work and positive attitude".

Mishra's mother Annapurna Mishra is a senior BJP leader from east Delhi and a former mayor of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The BJP's "Sampark for Samarthan" outreach was launched by party president Amit Shah on May 30.

(With inputs from agencies)