Datia (Madhya Pradesh): The outcome of the Datia by-election will hardly impact the government. The victory of the Congress neither helps it form a government nor does the BJP’s defeat affect the ruling party.
But the ruling party and the opposition pulled out all the stops to win the seat. Besides the BJP’s state in charge, Mahendra Singh; regional organisational general secretary Ajay Jamwal; the party's state unit president Hemant Khandelwal; and Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, the party has deployed eight ministers in the by-election.
The organisation has also deployed a large number of legislators and leaders in the poll-bound district.
Similarly, the Congress has stationed a team of legislators and senior leaders to canvass for the party candidate under MPCC president Jitu Patwari.
Despite the presence of senior leaders of both parties, ‘Dada’ remains the most important factor in the constituency where ‘Dada’ means Narottam Mishra.
People in the rural and urban areas of the district discuss ‘Dada’. Some of them feel the pain because the ruling party has ignored their ‘Dada’, a few others whom he hurt.
Mishra has numerous supporters as well as rivals in the district. His rivals want BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari to win the election. But neither Tiwari nor Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh has made any impression on the electorate.
Singh has been out of the political scene of Datia for 18 years. His relatives started campaigning for him. The changing political scenario and knee pain that he suffers have taken a toll on him.
Tiwari has joined the election fray from Datia for the first time. A large number of leaders canvassing for him do not belong to the district. Residents lack enthusiasm about both of them.
Frustration lines the brows of Mishra’s supporters. Despite the senior leaders’ instructions, they pay little attention to electioneering. To diminish Mishra’s influence, the BJP has activated its old workers who remained at their homes after Mishra arrived in Datia. Both Jamwal and Khandelwal meet such party workers regularly.
After the Congress selected its candidate, former legislator from the constituency Rajendra Bharti did not participate in the electioneering.
Similarly, another aspirant for a ticket, Abdhesh Nayak, started barnstorming after several requests by the party. To deal with the issue, the Congress requested Bharti's supporters to campaign for the party.
Voters in the constituency speak about several issues beyond politics. A farmer from Barson village in the district, Ramswaroop, says lack of rainfall worries him, and once it starts, peasants face a shortage of urea.
Keeping in mind the farmers’ resentment, the government transferred money under the Kisan Samman Nidhi to their accounts.
A large number of unemployed youths appear in Datia. The by-election lacks any significance for them because they know its outcome makes little difference in their lives.
