Narottam Mishra buys nomination form for Datia bypoll:Rajendra Bharti says, ‘Congress can field any candidate beyond his family’

Political activity has intensified ahead of the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh scheduled for July 30. On Wednesday, senior BJP leader and former Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra purchased a nomination form, although the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not yet officially announced its candidate. Meanwhile, Congress leader and former MLA Rajendra Bharti said the party is free to nominate someone outside his family. He added that he would campaign wholeheartedly for whichever candidate the grand old party chooses. With Wednesday’s purchases, the total number of nomination forms sold over the last three days has reached nine.
Four more nomination forms purchased on Wednesday Apart from Dr Narottam Mishra, Balkishan Vishwakarma (Chhatarpur), Vederam Kurmi (Damoh), and Hansmukhi Lodhi also purchased nomination forms on Wednesday. On Monday, Damodar Yadav and Keshav Yadav of the Azad Samaj Party had purchased nomination forms. On Tuesday, Congress leader Avadhesh Nayak, along with Hardas and Ramsingh, also bought forms. However, no candidate has filed a nomination yet. Rajendra Bharti: Party leadership should decide Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar over the phone, Rajendra Bharti said he had conveyed to the Congress leadership that if the party finds a more suitable candidate, it should field that person. He said he would work with full commitment—”with body, mind and resources”—to ensure the party’s candidate wins. “It is not necessary that I contest. If the party finds a better candidate, it should field that person. We will extend full support,” Bharti said. When asked whether his family had withdrawn from the race, Bharti said they had not stepped back but had left the final decision to the party high command. Asked whether Avadhesh Nayak or Ghanshyam Singh were among the leading contenders, Bharti said both names were under consideration and that the party could also choose a candidate from the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Avadhesh Nayak and Ghanshyam Singh emerge as strong contenders Following Bharti’s statement, former Vice-Chairman of the Textbook Corporation Avadhesh Nayak and two-time Datia MLA Ghanshyam Singh are being seen as the leading contenders for the Congress ticket. During the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, the Congress had initially declared Avadhesh Nayak as its candidate before replacing him with Rajendra Bharti. Political observers see strategic move Political observers believe Bharti’s statement could also be a strategic attempt to prevent internal conflict within the Congress over ticket distribution and to avoid resentment among other aspirants. Bharti has previously contested elections on tickets from other political parties after being denied a Congress nomination and has also served as an MLA on a Samajwadi Party ticket. Analysts say his remarks may be aimed at projecting loyalty to the party leadership while reducing opposition from other Congress hopefuls, including Avadhesh Nayak and Ghanshyam Singh.