Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Former Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra offered a dandavat pranam at a temple in Datia on Thursday.
He worshipped the temple before starting his election campaign for BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari.
A video of the former minister offering prayers at the temple has surfaced on social media and is being widely shared.
After seeking blessings, Mishra said he had taken a 15-day pledge to ensure Ashutosh Tiwari's victory in the upcoming election.
He urged party workers and supporters to work together for the BJP candidate.
Watch the VIDEO below :
He said he was not someone who rebelled against the party. He said that no matter how upset he might have been or how difficult the situation became, he had never turned his back on the BJP.
Mishra added that the party had given him a lot over the years, and he did not expect anything more.
Mishra, who earlier sought votes for himself from Datia, will now campaign door-to-door for Ashutosh Tiwari after being denied a ticket. His visit to the temple and dandavat pranam came before the start of the campaign.
Protests in Datia
The BJP's decision to field former organisational secretary Ashutosh Tiwari instead of former minister Narottam Mishra for the Datia Assembly by-election led to protests in the district.
After the ticket was announced, thousands of Narottam Mishra's supporters gathered to protest. BJP workers, including women, blocked the Gwalior-Jhansi Highway, causing a major traffic jam. Many traders also closed their shops and said they would continue their protest, including holding demonstrations in Bhopal.
However, Mishra appealed to his supporters and party workers to remain calm after the party denied him a ticket for the Datia Assembly by-election.
Speaking to the media, Mishra said he accepted the party's decision and urged BJP workers not to take any extreme steps in protest.
Calling it the party's decision, he asked workers not to harm themselves or resort to actions such as pouring petrol or kerosene on themselves in protest.
