Datia bypoll: Congress fields two-time MLA Ghanshyam Singh against BJP's Tiwari
Synopsis
The Datia bypoll has become more than a routine by-election — BJP's decision to sideline former Home Minister Narottam Mishra in favour of a first-time candidate sparked violent street protests, with police officers injured and a highway blocked. Congress is countering with a two-time local MLA, turning a vacancy caused by a court conviction into a genuine contest.
Key Takeaways
Congress announced Ghanshyam Singh , a two-time former MLA, as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election on 11 July .
The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following a Delhi High Court ruling upholding his criminal conviction.
BJP fielded Ashutosh Tiwari , a first-time Assembly candidate with an RSS background, bypassing senior leader Narottam Mishra .
Mishra's exclusion triggered protests in Datia — markets shut, a highway was blocked, and police personnel including SP Mayank Awasthi were injured in stone-pelting.
Mishra subsequently accepted the party decision and pledged to campaign for Tiwari.
Datia has been a closely fought Congress-BJP seat for nearly four decades , with the Bharti family and Narottam Mishra dominating its recent political history.
The Indian National Congress on Saturday, 11 July named Ghanshyam Singh, a two-time former MLA, as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh, setting up a direct contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Ashutosh Tiwari in a politically charged bypoll. Singh's candidature was formally confirmed after he purchased the party's nomination papers on Friday, signalling he was Congress's preferred choice well before the official announcement.
Why the Bypoll Was Called
The Datia seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified from the Madhya Pradesh Assembly following the Delhi High Court's decision to uphold his conviction in a criminal case. Bharti had won the seat in the 2023 Assembly election, defeating former state Home Minister Narottam Mishra of the BJP — a result that had already made Datia one of the most watched constituencies in the Gwalior-Chambal belt.
Ghanshyam Singh's Political Record in Datia
Singh first won the Datia Assembly seat in 1993, stepping in as Congress's candidate in place of Rajendra Bharti. He returned to the Assembly after winning the seat again in 2003 and has remained an active presence in the constituency despite electoral reverses in subsequent years. The Congress has leaned on Singh as one of its most recognisable faces in the Gwalior-Chambal region, a belt where the party has historically traded wins with the BJP across four decades.
BJP's Internal Discontent Over Tiwari's Candidature
The BJP's choice of Ashutosh Tiwari — who carries an RSS background and has served as chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board — over the far more prominent Narottam Mishra triggered an immediate backlash within the ruling party. Supporters of Mishra shut markets and blocked a highway in Datia for several hours from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon. The protest later turned violent, with some demonstrators allegedly pelting stones at police personnel. More than half a dozen officers were injured, including Datia Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi and Additional Superintendent of Police Aman Singh Rathore. Additional police forces were deployed to restore order.
Mishra Falls in Line, Pledges Support
By Saturday, Mishra publicly accepted the party's decision and announced he would actively campaign for Tiwari. 'I accept the party's decision wholeheartedly. I will campaign for Ashutosh Tiwari and work to ensure the BJP's victory,' Mishra said. His statement appeared to draw a line under the internal rebellion, at least at the leadership level, though the street protests underscored the depth of local feeling.
Historical Context: A Seat With Deep Political Roots
Datia has been a fiercely contested seat for nearly four decades. Veteran Congress leader Shyam Sundar Bharti represented it four times. His son, Rajendra Bharti, won the seat in 1985 and 1990 on a Congress ticket before switching parties after being denied the nomination in 1998. He later returned to the Congress fold and unseated Narottam Mishra in 2023. Tiwari, now the BJP's bet, is contesting his first Assembly election, making the experience gap between the two candidates a potential factor in the outcome.
Point of View
By contrast, has played a straightforward hand, fielding a known local quantity in Singh. The real question is whether Mishra's ground network will work for Tiwari with genuine enthusiasm, or merely go through the motions — a distinction that could decide a seat that has historically been decided by thin margins.
NationPress
12 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Datia Assembly by-election being held?
The Datia bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified from the Madhya Pradesh Assembly following the Delhi High Court's decision to uphold his conviction in a criminal case. The seat had been won by Bharti in the 2023 Assembly election.
Who is the Congress candidate for the Datia bypoll?
Congress has fielded Ghanshyam Singh, a two-time former MLA from Datia who first won the seat in 1993 and again in 2003. He is one of the party's senior leaders in the Gwalior-Chambal region.
Why did protests break out in Datia over the BJP candidate?
Supporters of former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra protested after the BJP chose first-time candidate Ashutosh Tiwari over Mishra for the bypoll. Markets were shut and a highway was blocked for several hours; the unrest turned violent, injuring more than half a dozen police personnel.
Who is Ashutosh Tiwari, the BJP candidate for Datia?
Ashutosh Tiwari has an RSS background and has previously served as chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board. He is contesting his first Assembly election in the Datia bypoll.
What is Narottam Mishra's stance after being denied the BJP ticket?
Narottam Mishra accepted the BJP's decision on Saturday and stated he would campaign for Ashutosh Tiwari. 'I accept the party's decision wholeheartedly. I will campaign for Ashutosh Tiwari and work to ensure the BJP's victory,' he said.
