Former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra turned emotional during the Bharatiya Janata Party’s nomination rally in Datia on Monday, days after being denied the party ticket for the upcoming Assembly by-election.
A video from the event showed Mohan Yadav consoling Mishra on stage as the senior BJP leader fought back tears while attending the nomination of the party’s official candidate, Ashutosh Tiwari.
Emotional Appearance at Nomination Rally
Ashutosh Tiwari filed his nomination papers for the July 30 Datia Assembly bypoll in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Narottam Mishra.
Addressing party workers, Mishra urged them to unite behind the BJP candidate and highlighted the party’s governance record in the region.
Recalling the law-and-order situation under previous governments, he said the BJP had transformed Datia by eliminating notorious dacoit gangs and strengthening security. He also announced that he would personally campaign across the constituency to ensure Ashutosh Tiwari’s victory.
“From July 16, I will stay in Datia, visit every village and every household, and work with party workers to secure Ashutosh Tiwari’s victory,” Mishra said.
Supporters Protested After Ticket Denial
The emotional scenes came just days after Narottam Mishra’s supporters staged a massive protest following the BJP’s decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari instead of the six-time MLA.
Supporters blocked National Highway-44 for nearly 11 hours, triggering a traffic jam stretching around 15 kilometres. Protesters also reportedly attempted to shut markets in Datia.
Despite the unrest, Mishra publicly stated that he had no resentment over the party’s decision and would discharge whatever responsibility the BJP assigned him.
Why Was Narottam Mishra Denied the Ticket?
According to party sources, the Madhya Pradesh BJP had initially recommended Mishra as its preferred candidate for the Datia bypoll.
However, feedback from the party’s central leadership reportedly suggested that his electoral prospects were weaker than initially assessed.
Sources also indicated that the leadership was cautious about Mishra emerging as an influential power centre in the state if he returned to the Assembly and cabinet through the bypoll.
Datia Bypoll Schedule
The Datia Assembly by-election was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti lost his Assembly membership following his conviction in a cheating case.
The BJP has fielded Ashutosh Tiwari, while the Congress has nominated Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh.
Polling is scheduled for July 30, while counting of votes will take place on August 3.
