Accept the choice of choosing a party, says Narottam Mishra after visiting Delhi

BJP leader Narottam Mishra speaks to the media after the party was denied a ticket for the Datia Assembly polls in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, July 11, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI

Days after he was denied a ticket to the bypoll that led to violence in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia, former state home minister Narottam Mishra, who left for Delhi on Sunday (July 12, 2026), said he did not meet any leader from the party high command, adding that he was “not called” to (that) capital and “just came”.

Sources said Mr Mishra met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Nabin. “He was instructed to step back and appease his supporters in Datia and work for the party’s official candidate,” the source said.

The visit came on a day when senior party leaders met in Datia to review preparations for the July 30 parliamentary elections.

Late on Saturday (July 11), Mr Mishra met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal and the party’s zonal general secretary (organization) Ajay Jamwal in Bhopal. The meetings were held amid murmurs that he resented the party denying him a ticket and fielding debutant Ashutosh Tiwari instead. The move sparked massive protests in Datia where Mr Mishra’s supporters turned violent. Police lodged an FIR against more than 20 BJP workers after at least eight police personnel, including an SP and another SP, were injured.

Speaking in New Delhi, Mr Mishra described the protests as the result of “sudden anger”. “Today, all the main people (BJP leaders) are in Datia and they (workers) have expressed their views. Everything has calmed down now,” he said.

Once considered one of the most influential BJP leaders in the state, Mr. Mishra said he was now found not to be of “tall stature”. “Accepting the party’s decision with utmost respect and working for the organization is our only goal. I will work as a dedicated party worker,” he said, adding that he did not seek or receive any assurances from the party leadership about his political future.

On rumors that he was denied the ticket on the insistence of some senior Madhya Pradesh BJP leaders, Mr. Mishra said, “No, I am not blaming the organization, nor am I blaming the Chief Minister. I am not pointing fingers at anyone. I believe there must have been some shortcoming on my part. I will introspect and improve.”

Various BJP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda and state party chief Mahendra Singh, visited Datia and met Mr Tiwari, local party leaders and officers, many of whom resigned in protest after the candidate’s announcement. However, Mr Khandelwal said on Saturday evening that no resignation would be accepted.

The meetings are seen as an attempt by the BJP leadership to reassure party workers before the start of the election campaign.

“Every upcoming meeting will focus on election preparations and BJP will win the elections. All our party workers and senior leaders are fully involved in these preparations. They will all come here to work,” Mr. Devda said.

Mr. Tiwari will be pitted against the Congress’s Ghanshyam Singh, who hails from the erstwhile Datia royal family and is a former MLA from the neighboring Sewda constituency. The Azad Samaj Party entered the fray and announced Damodar Yadav as its candidate, making it a potential three-way contest given the significant number of Dalit voters in Datia.

Mr. Khandelwal reached Datia in the evening and held meetings with local leaders and workers ahead of the last day of nomination on July 13. Chief Minister Yadav and Mr. Mishra are expected to attend Mr. Tiwari’s nomination filing.

When asked about the discussions with the workers, Mr. Khandelwal said, “Every BJP worker understands his responsibility and hence there may be a momentary problem but no worker gets angry.”

Both the BJP and Congress candidates are scheduled to file their nominations on Monday (July 12).

Published – 12 Jul 2026 22:21 IST