Overview
- Supporters of Narottam Mishra blocked National Highway-44 for about 11–12 hours and clashed with police, leaving several officers injured and prompting an FIR that named 27 leaders and about 200 unidentified workers.
- The state BJP dispatched senior leaders to Datia, held reconciliation meetings, and secured Narottam Mishra’s public acceptance of the party decision to back first-time nominee Ashutosh Tiwari.
- Ashutosh Tiwari began campaigning with a visit to Pitambara Peeth and filed his nomination with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Mishra present to project unity on the ballot.
- The Congress has nominated former MLA Ghanshyam Singh to challenge Tiwari in a contest set for July 30 with votes to be counted on August 3.
- The seat became vacant after Rajendra Bharti’s disqualification, and the row highlights how local heavyweights, third-party offers and party discipline could shape turnout and voter arithmetic in Datia.