BJP names Ashutosh Tiwari as Datia by-election candidate:Narottam Mishra was in contention; 13 nomination forms sold so far

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election. The party finalised his candidature on Friday after the Delhi High Court declined to stay the conviction of former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti. Ashutosh Tiwari has previously served as the BJP’s Divisional Organisation Minister. He has also been Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board with Cabinet Minister status. Former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who had been preparing to contest the by-election, was not included in the party’s list. So far, 13 candidates have purchased nomination forms for the Datia by-election, of whom four have submitted their papers. Narottam Mishra had also purchased nomination papers Senior BJP leader and former Home Minister Narottam Mishra purchased a nomination form on Wednesday. There had been speculation that he would file his nomination on Friday. However, before that could happen, the party’s central leadership announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its official candidate. Supreme Court dismisses Rajendra Bharti’s plea Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Congress leader and former MLA Rajendra Bharti. Earlier, while speaking on the issue of the Congress ticket, Bharti had said that if the party wished, it could nominate another leader instead of a member of his family. He added that whoever the Congress selected as its candidate would receive his full support during the election campaign.