Former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal and organisation general secretary Ajay Jamwal in Bhopal, a day after the party denied him a ticket for the Datia Assembly bypoll.
The meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence came amid unrest among Mishra’s supporters over the BJP’s decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari for the July 30 by-election.
Mishra said he will go to Datia for Ashutosh Tiwari’s nomination.
“We had a good discussion. We talked about making Datia win; we are winning Datia, and we will win. I have already told them (supporters) to show patience and peace, and slowly everything will be fine. I’ll be a part of the nomination,” he said.
The ticket
announcement triggered protests in Datia, where thousands of supporters of the senior BJP leader took to the streets, clashed with police and blocked National Highway-44 for nearly 12 hours.
Violence Erupts In Datia
The BJP’s decision to deny a ticket to Mishra sparked widespread protests in Datia on Friday.
According to officials, more than 3,000 protesters blocked NH-44, disrupting traffic for nearly 12 hours. The agitation turned violent, leaving Datia Superintendent of Police and several other police personnel injured.
The fallout also extended to the party organisation, with several BJP office-bearers, including the district unit president and local corporators, reportedly resigning in protest against the candidate selection.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Offers Ticket To Mishra
In a surprise political development, the Shiv Sena (UBT) offered its ticket to Mishra for the Datia bypoll.
Sunil Sharma, the Madhya Pradesh chief of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, said the offer was made after consultations with the party leadership.
Sharma said that if Mishra accepted the proposal, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray and other senior leaders would campaign for him in Datia.
There has been no response from Mishra to the offer so far.
BJP Rules Out Any Change In Candidate
Amid speculation that the party could reconsider its choice, senior BJP leader and state minister Kailash Vijayvargiya categorically ruled out any change in the candidate.
“The BJP is a democratic party. Workers express their views, but they are disciplined. Once they are spoken to, everyone will accept the party’s decision and Ashutosh Tiwari will win by a huge margin,” Vijayvargiya said.
He expressed confidence that Mishra would stand by the party despite missing out on a ticket.
“Many people prepare to contest elections, but not everyone can get a ticket. The party’s decision is paramount, and every worker will abide by it,” he said.
Rejecting speculation over a reversal, Vijayvargiya added: “Once a candidate is declared, there has never been a tradition in the BJP of changing the ticket. I don’t think the candidate will be changed.”
Why Is The Datia Bypoll Being Held?
The Datia Assembly bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti lost his membership following his conviction and three-year prison sentence in a cheating case in April this year.
Bharti, who later secured bail, had defeated Narottam Mishra by more than 7,500 votes in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
According to the Election Commission schedule, polling for the Datia by-election will be held on July 30, with counting of votes scheduled for August 3.
The Datia contest has now emerged as one of the most closely watched political battles in Madhya Pradesh, with the BJP seeking to contain internal dissent while retaining a seat it hopes to wrest back from the Congress.
