Bhopal: In a surprise move ahead of the Datia Assembly bypoll, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied a ticket to former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra and named senior party leader Ashutosh Tiwari as its official candidate.
The decision has drawn attention across political circles because Datia has long been seen as one of the BJP’s strongest and most high-profile Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh. Mishra had remained active in the constituency after his defeat in the 2023 Assembly election and was widely expected to return as the party’s candidate.
Instead, the BJP has chosen Ashutosh Tiwari, a senior organisation leader, former regional organisation secretary and former chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board. Tiwari is a resident of Datia and has worked with the BJP organisation for many years.
Party leaders have not officially explained the reason behind the change. However, political observers believe the decision reflects the BJP’s effort to improve its prospects in the bypoll after losing the seat in the last Assembly election. According to party sources, the leadership relied on extensive feedback from the ground before finalising the candidate.
Sources said a central survey team had been assessing public opinion in the constituency over the past few weeks. The feedback reportedly suggested that the party should contest the bypoll with a fresh face. Although these claims have not been officially confirmed, the announcement has come as a setback for Mishra’s supporters, especially as he had continued meeting local community leaders and campaigning in the constituency until the ticket was announced.
The bypoll became necessary after the Assembly membership of Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was cancelled. Bharti had defeated Narottam Mishra in the 2023 Assembly election in one of the biggest political upsets in Madhya Pradesh.
His disqualification followed a Delhi court’s decision to sentence him to three years’ imprisonment in an old cooperative bank fraud case. Under election law, a legislator convicted and sentenced to two years or more is disqualified, leading to the vacancy in the Datia Assembly seat.
The bypoll is now expected to become one of the most closely watched political contests in Madhya Pradesh. For the BJP, the election offers a chance to regain a constituency that was once considered one of its safest seats. For the Congress, it will be an opportunity to retain its recent victory despite entering the contest with a new political situation.
Voting for the Datia bypoll is scheduled for 30 July, while counting of votes will take place on 3 August. The result is expected to indicate whether the BJP’s decision to field a new candidate strengthens its position in the constituency.
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