Datia bypoll: BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari files nomination

BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari on Monday (July 13, 2026) filed his nomination papers for the July 30 Datia assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh in the presence of former Minister Narottam Mishra, whom he edged out to enter the fray, and other senior party leaders.

The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti lost his assembly membership following his conviction in a cheating case. Votes will be counted on August 3.

Earlier on Sunday (July 12, 2026), the BJP’s state unit sent senior party leaders to Datia to rally workers behind Mr. Tiwari after supporters of former Home Minister Narottam Mishra went on a rampage as the party denied him a ticket.

Mr. Tiwari presented his nomination papers before the returning officer in the presence of Mr. Mishra, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal, Madhya Pradesh BJP in-charge, Mahendra Singh, among others.

In the 2023 assembly elections, Rajendra Bharti defeated Mr. Mishra by a margin of over 7,500 votes.

In April this year, a Delhi court sentenced Bharti to three years’ imprisonment in a cheating case, and following his conviction, the Congress leader was disqualified from the state legislative assembly, necessitating the bypoll.

While votes will be cast on July 30 for the bypoll, the results will be declared on August 3, as per the schedule.

Sources said the state BJP unit had forwarded Mr. Mishra’s name as its sole recommendation for the Datia seat after Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met senior party leaders on July 6.

However, feedback gathered by the central leadership in New Delhi suggested Mr. Mishra’s electoral position was not as strong as initially assessed.

Party insiders also claimed Mr. Mishra, a six-time MLA, could have emerged as another power centre in the State if he had won the bypoll and returned to the cabinet.