The supporters of senior BJP member and former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra have taken to streets following the rejection of his candidature for the by-poll for Datia Assembly, selecting Ashutosh Tiwari in his place. The move has resulted in massive resentment amongst supporters from Datia, who have protested by blocking a national highway and have asked the BJP to change their mind. This controversy has once again brought into limelight Narottam Mishra, an experienced BJP member who has also been the representative of Datia and Dabra.
Reportedly, the BJP announced Tiwari’s candidature on Friday for the Datia bypoll, which was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction in a cheating case. Mishra, who had reportedly expected the nomination and had even purchased a nomination form, was left out, disappointing his supporters.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: Supporters of former State Home Minister Narottam Mishra pelted stones at Police in Datia as they protested after the BJP denied him a ticket for the upcoming assembly bypoll. Injuries reported.
Thousands of his followers blocked NH-44 last night,… pic.twitter.com/qI96QlEcpL
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 11, 2026
Narottam Mishra built a long political career before losing the 2023 election
Narottam Mishra, born on April 15, 1960, served as Madhya Pradesh’s Minister for Home Affairs, Law and Legislative Affairs, Prisons and Parliamentary Affairs. A senior BJP leader, he represented the Datia Assembly constituency, winning it three consecutive times. Before that, he also represented Dabra three times.
He holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, earned in 1998. His political journey began early, serving as Secretary of Jiwaji University’s Students’ Union in 1977-78 and later as a member of the State Executive Body of the MP Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 1978 to 1980. However, Narottam Mishra lost the 2023 Assembly election to Congress candidate Rajendra Bharti by more than 7,500 votes.
Narottam Mishra supporters hit the streets after BJP denied him the Datia ticket
As per reports, the Datia bypoll was announced after a Delhi court sentenced Bharti to three years in prison in a cheating case in April, leading to his disqualification as an MLA. Though Bharti was later granted bail, the Election Commission scheduled the bypoll, with polling on July 30 and counting on August 3.
After the BJP denied Narottam Mishra a ticket, more than 3,000 supporters blocked NH-44 for nearly 12 hours. One supporter declared they would not end the protest unless “Narottam Dada” was given the ticket and said they were ready to quit the BJP over the issue.
Narottam Mishra row turns violent as police face stone-pelting
Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede said protesters ignored repeated appeals to clear the highway and allegedly pelted stones at police, forcing security personnel to fire teargas shells. He said the Datia SP, senior officers and police personnel were injured, while police and private vehicles were also damaged.
Report say that, Datia SP Mayur Khandelwal said over 3,000 protesters disrupted law and order, attempted to shut markets and continued the blockade for nearly 12 hours. More than six police personnel were injured in the violence. “We tried to pacify them, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct in the town. However, after they refused to back down and pelted stones, cops fired teargas shells to control the situation,” he said. Several protesters were arrested and warned of strict action if violence continued. Following the unrest, several BJP office-bearers, including the district unit president and local corporators, reportedly resigned in protest.
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Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
