The governing Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh is currently navigating a significant crisis regarding the Datia assembly by-election. The party leadership has chosen to overlook senior leader Narottam Mishra, awarding the ticket to Ashutosh Tiwari instead. This decision has sparked immediate and widespread anger, leading to chaotic scenes throughout Datia. Overnight, enraged supporters of Narottam Mishra staged protests and effectively seized control of the local BJP office. Dozens of party workers, including the Datia BJP district president and various office bearers, have resigned in protest. These supporters argue that had the party nominated Narottam Mishra, they could have easily ensured the forfeiture of the Congress candidate's security deposit.
Congress nominates Ghanshyam Singh
Amidst the internal turmoil within the BJP, the Congress party has solidified its strategy by fielding Ghanshyam Singh to challenge Ashutosh Tiwari in the upcoming by-election. While the BJP maintains that it is not uncommon for the party to replace sitting MLAs and MPs, the supporters of Narottam Mishra remain unconvinced. They contend that the party's decision regarding this seat will inevitably lead to the BJP losing its deposit in the constituency.
Why the exclusion has caused such an uproar
Narottam Mishra holds a formidable political standing in Datia, having served as the area's MLA for three consecutive terms. Although he faced a defeat in the 2023 assembly elections at the hands of Congress candidate Rajendra Bharti, his influence over local politics remains significant. During his tenure as an MLA, he handled high-profile portfolios including Home Minister, Parliamentary Affairs, and Law in the Shivraj Singh government. Many of his supporters view him as a potential candidate for the Chief Minister's office, making his complete exclusion from the by-election ticket deeply offensive to his base.
Kailash Vijayvargiya's perspective on party traditions
Kailash Vijayvargiya, a prominent leader and minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, has attempted to downplay the incident, suggesting that the situation will normalize within a couple of days. He emphasized that the BJP does not have a tradition of replacing candidates once they have been formally announced. However, this defense has been met with skepticism, as the party recently replaced its candidate Abhishek Sinha with Neeraj Sinha for the Bankipur seat in Bihar. Supporters are now pointing to that specific press release, questioning why the party can change candidates in Bihar but refuses to do so in Datia.
Narottam Mishra's response
Significantly, Narottam Mishra was not present in the district when the protests broke out, as he was in Gwalior at the time. He claimed to have received all updates regarding the violence and protests through social media. Notably, he refrained from condemning the actions of his supporters, stating only that he would speak with them once he arrives in Datia. His followers have interpreted this as an endorsement to continue their boycott of the party's official candidate. Currently, Narottam Mishra continues to project a sense of discipline, reiterating that he will comply with whatever decision the party leadership eventually makes.
Damage control measures
In an effort to manage the internal rift, the state party president has described Narottam Mishra as a highly respected senior leader, asserting that the party will contest and win the Datia by-election under his leadership and guidance. The BJP remains hopeful that Narottam Mishra's continued public adherence to party discipline will help stabilize the situation before the election cycle peaks.
