BJP and Congress Clash Over Datia Assembly Bye-Election

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress filed nominations on July 13 for the Datia Assembly bye-election, triggered by the disqualification of Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti following a fraud conviction. The Election Commission of India has scheduled polling for July 30, with results to be counted on August 3.

Mohan Yadav, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, accompanied BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari to the nomination process, accusing the Congress party of disrupting regional development with false promises. The BJP nomination process was marked by internal tension after veteran leader and former Home Minister Narottam Mishra was denied a ticket. Mishra's supporters previously blocked National Highway-44 for 11 hours in protest, and Mishra became visibly emotional during a rally on Monday. Despite the snub, Mishra publicly pledged his support for Tiwari and announced plans to campaign in every village starting July 16.

Indian National Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh filed his nomination on the same day, claiming the BJP's internal dissatisfaction would ensure a Congress win. He dismissed the Azad Samaj Party's candidate, Damodar Yadav, as a BJP-sponsored effort to split votes. Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari predicted a landslide victory, estimating the party would win the seat by 25,000 votes.