Datia byelection: Narottam Mishra's supporters clash with M.P. Police, block highway after BJP ticket snub
Supporters of BJP leader Narottam Mishra blocked a national highway in Madhya Pradesh for 12 hours following his exclusion from the party's byelection candidate list. The protest turned violent, resulting in injuries to police personnel and the use of teargas to disperse the crowd.
Why it matters
Political infighting and the subsequent public disruption highlight internal party tensions and the challenges of maintaining law and order during election cycles.
Violence erupted in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on Saturday (July 11, 2026), as supporters of senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra clashed with police and blocked a national highway after the former Minister was denied a ticket for the July 30 Assembly byelection.
The nearly 12-hour blockade on NH-44 by over 3,000 protesters left the Datia Superintendent of Police and several police personnel injured before security forces cleared the highway and arrested some agitators, officials said.
The ruling BJP on Friday (July 10, 2026) announced the candidature of Ashutosh Tiwari for the Datia Assembly bypoll, angering Mr. Mishra's supporters.
Enraged workers staged a blockade on the national highway for close to 11-12 hours, and despite asking them to clear the road, they pelted stones on the police, forcing the cops to fire teargas shells to disperse the mob, Datia Collector Swapnil Wankhede told reporters.
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