Datia Defeat Sparks Infighting In BJP, Congress Gets New Life

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The defeat in the Datia by-election has ignited an internal conflict in the BJP. Soon after the result was out, the party leaders started blaming internal sabotage for the loss.

Had Ajad Samaj Party candidate Damodar Yadav not been in the fray, the Congress' victory margin would have been bigger.

BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari, in a conversation with party workers, said the sabotage from within led to the defeat.

The party will raise the issue at an appropriate platform and place because the smoke points to a real fire, he said, adding that he is not such an individual who easily gives up on fighting.

According to Tiwari, being a BJP worker, he remains strong, and he has made it clear that he will stay in Datia.

Former minister Imarti Devi also said the party leaders worked hard, but some internal saboteurs caused the defeat, she said.

She also advised the party leaders to keep an eye on the internal saboteurs. The statements of party president Hemant Khandelwal also indicated that a few leaders damaged the party in the by-election.

The BJP leaders, without citing anybody's name, targeted Narottam Mishra for the defeat.

According to sources, the party has started preparing a report, which its leaders will send to Delhi.

The report will consist of the names of the leaders who sabotaged the party from within, sources said.

On the other hand, the victory infused a new life into the Congress, which won the second by-election after the Vijaypur seat.

MPCC president Jitu Patwari worked hard for the by-election and stayed in Datia for several days. Thus, the victory rekindled the Congress' hope in the state.

The win will also help Patwari to infuse strength in the party workers, who remained demoralised by continuous defeats in elections.

The party high command may maintain the team led by Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar until the assembly elections.

Reasons for BJP's defeat

Denial of a ticket to former minister Narottam Mishra

Failure to control the internal saboteurs

Lack of connections between the party candidate and voters

Bringing leaders and party workers to Datia where they were outsiders

Failure to connect the local party workers with the election

Impact of the agitations launched by Generation Z and farmers.

Discussions to be held with leaders put on poll duty in Datia

The BJP plans to discuss the party's defeat in the Datia by-election with the leaders whom it deployed in the district for the poll.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the party's state unit president Hemant Khandeleal will also discuss the issue.

The party assigned election duty to Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, Transport Minister Uday Pratap Singh, party's state general secretary Rahul Kothari, MP Bharat Singh Kushwaha, former minister Arvind Bhadoria, and other office-bearers.

The organisation will discuss the reasons for the defeat with its senior leaders. The party will cite the names of those who damaged the party.

According to sources, the BJP may act against the senior leaders of Datia. The party also sought a report about sabotage from its workers in the district.