- BJP denied Narottam Mishra bypoll ticket, sparking unrest.
- Mishra urged calm as supporters blocked highway violently.
- Violent protests injured police, blocking highway for hours.
- BJP chose Ashutosh Tiwari; Mishra met central leadership.
Narottam Mishra, former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister, has appealed to his supporters to maintain peace after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied him a ticket for the upcoming Datia Assembly bypoll. His appeal came amid widespread protests by supporters, who blocked a national highway, clashed with police and demanded that the party reconsider its decision.
The BJP on Friday announced Ashutosh Tiwari, a senior RSS functionary with a long organisational background, as its candidate for the bypoll, ending speculation that Mishra would be fielded from the constituency he represented for over two decades. The decision has triggered unrest in Datia, highlighting the former minister’s continued influence in the region.
Narottam Mishra Appeals For Calm After BJP Decision
Responding to the protests, Mishra urged party workers not to resort to extreme measures and said internal disagreements should be raised through party forums.
“This is the party’s decision. I urge all party workers, especially after seeing videos on social media of workers pouring petrol or kerosene, not to engage in such actions… Within the party forum, views are expressed in an appropriate manner. They are not conveyed in this fashion,” Mishra said, as per reports.
#WATCH | Gwalior, MP | Former State Home Minister Narottam Mishra leaves from his residence in Dabra.
After the BJP denied him a ticket for the upcoming assembly bypoll, thousands of his followers blocked NH-44 last night in protest, bringing traffic to a complete standstill.… https://t.co/v8NgxVuCtp pic.twitter.com/EFDW0OVJNM
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2026
The BJP’s decision came as a surprise to many, particularly because Mishra had reportedly purchased nomination papers in anticipation of contesting the bypoll.
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Highway Blockade Turns Violent, Police Officers Injured
Despite Mishra’s appeal, protests intensified across Datia. More than 3,000 supporters reportedly blocked National Highway-44 on Friday evening, resulting in a traffic jam stretching nearly 15 kilometres. Vehicles remained stranded for almost 12 hours before police attempted to clear the road.
The situation turned violent early Saturday when protesters allegedly began pelting stones at police personnel.
“Around 4 am, the mob suddenly began throwing stones at the police team,” Datia Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal told ANI.
The officer, along with at least six other policemen, sustained injuries during the clashes. Police initially used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd before carrying out a mild lathi-charge as the violence escalated.
Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede said protesters also vandalised police vehicles and forced shops in the area to shut.
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Why BJP Denied Mishra The Ticket
The bypoll was necessitated after sitting Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction in a bank fraud case, in which he was sentenced to three years in prison.
Given Mishra’s long political association with Datia, many expected the six-time MLA to be renominated in an effort to regain the seat he lost in the 2023 Assembly elections by around 7,000 votes.
Instead, the BJP chose Ashutosh Tiwari, a Datia native and long-time RSS and BJP organiser. According to party sources, the decision was taken after assessing grassroots feedback from the constituency.
