The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing an internal crisis in Madhya Pradesh's Datia Assembly by-election after supporters of former Home Minister Dr. Narottam Mishra staged violent protests over the party's decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate. The unrest left the Superintendent of Police (SP), an SDOP and at least eight police personnel injured, prompting authorities to impose Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across the district.

The protest began on Friday evening and intensified in the early hours of Saturday, disrupting normal life and bringing traffic to a standstill on the Gwalior-Jhansi National Highway.

Highway Blockade Turns Violent

Hundreds of BJP workers and supporters gathered on the highway, resulting in a traffic jam stretching nearly 15 to 20 kilometres. Police said clashes broke out around 4:30 am when protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting after being asked to disperse.

Security forces used tear gas shells to control the crowd. Several vehicles, including police vehicles, were damaged, while a police vehicle was reportedly overturned. Authorities also said attempts were made to set a vehicle on fire.

According to the district administration, the blockade continued from around 5:30 pm on Friday until approximately 5:00 am on Saturday, causing major inconvenience to commuters.

Section 163 Enforced Across Datia

In response to the violence, the Datia administration imposed Section 163 of the BNSS throughout the district. The prohibitory orders ban public gatherings of five or more people, rallies, processions, demonstrations and public meetings without prior permission.

Heavy police deployment has been made at sensitive locations, and additional forces have been requisitioned from the Police Headquarters (PHQ). Security checks have also been intensified on routes leading into Datia.

District Collector Swapnil Wankhede said the administration would not allow another highway blockade and warned of strict legal action against anyone violating the prohibitory orders.

BJP Workers Continue Protest

More than 500 BJP workers reportedly participated in the overnight protest, with women supporters also joining demonstrations by sitting and lying on roads. Around 250 workers were kept inside the BJP office in Datia as a preventive measure amid fears of further escalation.

Several district BJP leaders, including district president Raghuveer Saran, city office-bearers and the party treasurer, resigned in protest over the denial of a ticket to Narottam Mishra. Supporters have also claimed that multiple BJP councillors submitted their resignations.

Narottam Appeals for Calm

Despite the widespread protests, Dr. Narottam Mishra urged party workers to maintain discipline and respect the BJP's organisational structure. He appealed to supporters not to resort to violence or extreme forms of protest and said disagreements should be expressed through the party's internal forums.

Later on Saturday, Mishra left Datia for Bhopal along with his wife.

Party Leadership Backs Ashutosh Tiwari

Senior BJP leaders have publicly backed the party's decision to nominate Ashutosh Tiwari.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said the BJP selects candidates only after careful consideration and expressed confidence that Tiwari would register a comfortable victory in the by-election.

Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda also reiterated that the organisation's decision is final and should be accepted by all party workers. BJP in-charge Abhay Pratap Singh Yadav reached Datia to hold discussions with disgruntled workers and said the situation would soon return to normal.

Ashutosh Tiwari, meanwhile, described Dr. Narottam Mishra as his "guardian" and said he would fulfil the responsibility entrusted to him by the party with complete dedication.

Political Activity Intensifies

The political atmosphere in Datia remains tense ahead of the July 30 Assembly bypoll. Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad is scheduled to address a public rally in support of party candidate Damodar Yadav.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh questioned the police action against BJP workers and urged authorities to identify and act against those responsible for instigating the violence.

With Section 163 in force and security tightened across the district, the administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace as election campaigning continues.