MP: Congress '100% confident' of winning Datia by-election says Patwari

MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari voiced confidence in winning the Datia Assembly by-poll, with Ghanshyam Singh as the candidate. Singh, pitted against BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari, has pledged to tackle corruption and criticized the current political climate.

Congress Confident in Datia Bypoll

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Sunday exuded confidence over the party's prospects in the upcoming Datia Assembly by-election, saying Congress would "100 per cent" win the seat.

Addressing reporters, Patwari said, "Ghanshyam Singh has been given the ticket with the consensus of all senior leaders and workers... Congress will win the election there 100%."

The Congress had on July 11 announced Ghanshyam Singh as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election. He is pitted against BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari in the high-stakes contest.

Candidate Vows to Tackle Corruption

Following his nomination, Singh accused the BJP of fostering corruption and weakening the social fabric in the constituency. Speaking to ANI, he said his priority would be to eliminate corruption and ensure that the benefits of development reach the people.

"The most important thing is to end corruption so that the public can fully benefit from the development work that has been done," Singh said.

He also said that former minister Narottam Mishra would have been a much bigger electoral challenge than the BJP's current candidate. "There is a lot of difference. He (Narottam) was a very big challenge. This one is nothing. He will get as many votes as possible based on the party's strength, the government's strength, and the administration's strength," Singh alleged.

Expressing concern over the political atmosphere in the constituency, Singh said, "The social fabric has deteriorated, political animosity has increased, and people treat each other as enemies. An opponent is an opponent, not an enemy."

By-election Background

The Datia seat fell vacant after the disqualification of Rajendra Bharti on April 2, 2026. The notification stated that the disqualification was under the provisions of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India.

BJP Infighting and Protests

The by-election has also witnessed political turbulence after supporters of senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra staged large-scale protests over the denial of a party ticket. The demonstrations turned violent, leaving eight police personnel injured and disrupting traffic on National Highway-44 for nearly 11 hours. (ANI)

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