Datia bypoll buzz grows around Narottam’s comeback:Congress faces internal challenges; caste votes may play a big role

A possible by-election in Datia has once again sparked political discussions among local residents. Early in the morning, around 10-12 people, including retired teachers, lawyers, businessmen and salaried professionals, gathered at the Town Hall and discussed the changing political situation in the district. Many of them are not directly linked to any political party, but their views reflect the mood of voters. Retired teacher Parasram Srivastava said former minister Narottam Mishra made several mistakes during the 2023 Assembly election and should address them if a by-election takes place. Advocate Itrat Ali Zaidi, however, believes public dissatisfaction was the main reason behind the defeat. Election Commission Awaits July 14 Discussions about the by-election have intensified after the Datiya assembly seat became vacant. Narottam Mishra is trying to regain ground through social conferences, while Rajendra Bharti has already met Rahul Gandhi with his son. Azad Samaj Party and independent leaders are also active. The Election Commission has not yet announced the election schedule. It is believed that it is waiting for the hearing to be held in the Delhi High Court on July 14. The Bhaskar team reached Datia and spoke to local people and experts to know their views on Mishra’s defeat, Bharti’s tenure, and the by-election. Why did Narottam Mishra lose, and what did Rajendra Bharti do in two and a half years? Previous Election: Why the ‘Basai Miracle’ was not repeated In 2023, the urban area of Basai was the biggest reason for Narottam Mishra’s defeat. Out of 13 rounds, he could only gain a lead in 3 rounds. By the 10th round, Rajendra Bharti was ahead by 8 thousand votes. BJP was hoping to repeat the ‘miracle’ of 2018, when votes from Basai had secured Mishra’s victory. In 2023, he trailed by 866 and 379 votes in the 11th and 12th rounds,the respectively. Even a lead of 735 votes in the final round proved insufficient, and Narottam lost his fourth election by 7,742 votes. Public Opinion: Overconfidence and infighting became the reason for the defeat According to Advocate Itrat Ali Zaidi, development work took place, but the public was unhappy with the working style of Mishra’s close associates. He considers alleged rigging in the 2022 municipal elections and delay in solving local problems as major reasons for the defeat. For example, the issue of the broken wall of ‘Lala Ka Talab’ not being repaired till now still causes resentment among people. Local people believe that Mishra suffered damage from within the organization itself. According to Parasram Srivastava and Raju Tyagi, workers were not active enough on the ground. They were overconfident. BJP office in-charge Rohit Dubey also believes that the workers were overly confident about the victory. Rajendra Bharti’s Tenure: Mixed Public Opinion Local people have strong opinions on Rajendra Bharti’s two-and-a-half-year tenure. According to Parasram Srivastava, he remained distant from the public. Itrat Ali Zaidi says that Bharti used to cite Narottam Mishra’s influence on the administration and police. Raju Tyagi and Shalas Tripathi allege that the MLA fund was used outside the constituency and assembly questions were raised to pressure officials. On the other hand, Congress District President Rajendra Dangi dismisses these allegations, saying that despite non-cooperation, Bharti did as many works as possible with the MLA fund. Electoral Arena: Key Contenders and Strategy The assembly by-election in Datia is showing signs of being triangular. Key contenders are busy setting political equations. 1. Narottam Mishra (BJP): In Damage Control Mode After the termination of Rajendra Bharti’s membership, Mishra is continuously active. He is trying to appease angry workers and communities through social conferences. He has held more than a dozen programs in the last two months. According to sources, he is preparing for a major government announcement for Datia and has met Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on June 1. BJP claims that this time the organization will enter the field learning from past mistakes. 2. Congress: One Pomegranate, Three Contenders A tug-of-war is visible in the party over tickets. Rajendra Bharti is asking for a ticket for his son Anuj Bharti. After meeting Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, there is talk of him rebelling if he doesn’t get a ticket. Awadhesh Nayak, who sacrificed his ticket in the last election, considers himself a natural claimant, while supporters of former MLA Ghanshyam Singh are also active. However, Congress District President Ashok Dangi denied factionalism, stating that tickets would be decided based on a survey. 3. Damodar Yadav (Azad Samaj Party): Can disrupt the game Damodar Yadav is engaged in strengthening the organization through farmers’ conferences and meetings. He claims that BSP and Congress workers are joining him. Political analysts believe that his strong presence can affect the Congress vote bank. Expert View: Caste equations will outweigh issues According to senior journalist Ravi Thakur, caste equations will be decisive in the by-election.