In an emotional speech, former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra publicly backed the BJP’s Datia candidate, Ashutosh Tiwari, just three days after his supporters protested and clashed with police over Mishra being denied a ticket.
Mishra shared a stage with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at Tiwari’s nomination rally in Datia, where he urged party workers to rally behind the candidate. The Chief Minister also told Mishra that the responsibility of ensuring Tiwari’s win in the bypolls was on his shoulders, asking him to consider Tiwari as a younger brother and ensure his victory.
During the rally, Mishra appeared visibly emotional as he addressed the crowd. He stated that there was no major internal conflict within the BJP and that he would personally camp in Datia from the 16th to ensure Tiwari’s victory. Mishra also promised to visit every single village and doorstep in Datia, bowing his head in respect, to secure Tiwari’s win.
This public display of loyalty came after a meeting between Chief Minister Yadav, state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal, and the central leadership. According to party sources, the party organisation has managed to win over Mishra, helping to contain a rebellion that threatened to overshadow the by-election campaign.
The episode marks an inflection point in Mishra’s political career, having suffered consecutive setbacks, including the 2023 Assembly defeat and the denial of a bypoll ticket. Meanwhile, Congress candidate Ghanshayam Singh has been asserting that the BJP has damaged itself by not nominating Mishra, citing his own strong connections to the local population and past electoral successes.
Singh, who belongs to Datia’s erstwhile royal family, has won the seat twice on the Congress ticket and also won the neighbouring Sewda seat in 2018. He finished a close second in the seat to BJP candidate Pradeep Agrawal in the 2023 Assembly polls.
