Narottam Mishra’s supporters clash with police over BJP ticket snub in Datia

Over 30 people have been booked for rioting, vandalising and attacking government servants for pelting stones on police.

Supporters of former Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday clashed with police personnel in Datia district over denial of ticket to the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader for the upcoming assembly bypoll. Later in the day, Mishra accepted the party’s decision to nominate Ashutosh Tiwari.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) offered to nominate Mishra from the Datia assembly. State’s Sena (UBT) chief Sunil Sharma said that if Mishra accepted the offer, his party president Uddhav Thackeray would campaign for him in the state.

According to police, over 3,000 protestors had blocked the National Highway-44 for nearly 12 hours, leaving the Datia superintendent of police and several cops injured.

Over 30 people have been booked for rioting, vandalising and attacking government servants for pelting stones on police, vandalising trucks and blocking traffic.

An FIR has been registered under sections 191 (rioting), 324 (vandalism), 132 (attacking, assaulting, or using criminal force against a government servant), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 285 (traffic disruptions and road obstructions) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, said Datia SP Mayur Khandelwal.

On Friday, the BJP announced the candidature of Tiwari for the assembly bypoll scheduled for July 30, angering Mishra’s supporters. Nearly 300 office bearers from district to panchayat level resigned from their posts in the protest.

“I will pacify the workers, who are upset over the denial of tickets in Datia. I respect the decision taken by the party. I can assure that everyone will work together for the party,” Mishra said on Saturday, after he met the state leadership in Bhopal.

Mishra said that he would fully support the BJP’s candidate and campaign if party asks.

Later on Saturday, a meeting was held at the Madhya Pradesh chief minister’s residence to review the situation. Mishra held discussions with chief minister Mohan Yadav, regional organisation general secretary Ajay Jamwal, and BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal.

After the meeting, Khandelwal said, “It has come to my notice that some individuals in Datia have tendered their resignations in the heat of the moment. The organisation has decided that no worker’s resignation will be accepted.”

Cong fields Datia royal family head

Meanwhile, the Congress has fielded Ghanshyam Singh, head of the Datia royal family, as its candidate for the upcoming assembly byelection.

Reacting to the announcement, Ghanshyam Singh said, “It’s a big responsibility for me as the party has shown trust in me.”

I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More