Political activity has once again intensified in Datia district with preparations of Datia by election and recent remark by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on this matter over disqualification of Congress MLA. Formal preparations have commenced for the by-election to fill the Assembly seat left vacant following disqualification of Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti. Acting on a directive from the Chief Electoral Officer, the district administration has moved the process forward and has begun actively engaging with political parties. The Datia Collector has invited representatives from all recognised political parties to attend ‘First Level Checking’ of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. This procedure is scheduled to take place on May 19 at the district headquarters, where the machines required for 291 polling stations will undergo inspection. To ensure transparency, the administration has mandated that political parties submit a list of their representatives—along with their photographs and identity cards—by May 18. Amid all this, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has launched a scathing attack on the BJP Government and the administration regarding the Rajendra Bharti episode.

 

He alleged that the entire matter is politically motivated and that action was taken without any concrete basis. Digvijaya Singh stated that Rajendra Bharti’s mother used to run an NGO. A matter related to the renewal of the NGO’s fixed deposits (FDs) was forcibly twisted into a loan dispute, despite the fact that the bank suffered no financial loss whatsoever. Despite this, orders were issued late at night in a hasty manner—an act that clearly indicates malicious intent. The former Chief Minister also raised questions regarding impartiality of Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar. A look at constituency’s electoral history suggests this time it has become a battle for prestige for both the main parties. For a long time, this seat is among the high profile election battle. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra lost the seat to Congress candidate Bharti Rajendra by a margin of 7,742 votes in 2023. It was Mishra’s fourth election from the seat after winning it consecutively for three elections, in 2008, 2013 and 2018. That has turned the seat at the center of State’s political landscape.

 

Noteworthy to mention that Rajendra Bharti was disqualified from the Legislative Assembly after being convicted in a case linked to the Cooperative Bank FD scam. Narottam Mishra whose supporters are already circulating the old video of BJP candidate Mishra showing he was claiming “I Will Return” long ago. In a video currently going viral on social media, his poetic declaration— “I will return”—has resurfaced as a topic of discussion amidst the looming prospect of the by-election. As far as allegations of Bharti’s disqualification concern, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar had already issued a statement that ‘a special court in Delhi sentenced the Congress MLA to three years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him in a case of cheating under Section 8(3) of the Act, read with Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution, any legislator sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more stands automatically disqualified from the date of conviction.