Overview
- The Indian National Congress announced on Sunday that it suspended Rajendra Bharti from primary membership with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s approval.
- Party officials said the action followed complaints by Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh that Bharti worked against the campaign, but the official statement gave no further public details.
- Bharti was disqualified in April after a Delhi court sentenced him in a cheating/bank-fraud case, prompting the Datia bypoll that saw voting on July 30 and a 71.44% turnout.
- Local rivalry has intensified the contest: Bharti and Singh have traded mutual accusations of collusion with the BJP, which denied longtime MLA Narottam Mishra a ticket and instead fielded newcomer Ashutosh Tiwari.
- Votes for the July 30 bypoll are due to be counted on August 3, and the suspension may influence voter perceptions and party unity in Datia ahead of the 2028 state assembly elections.