BJP Forms Committee to Analyze Datiya By-Election Loss in Madhya Pradesh

In the wake of a disappointing defeat in the Datiya assembly by-election, the BJP has formed a committee to investigate the underlying causes of their loss. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav led a meeting with senior party leaders to address the situation, appointing Gaurav Randive and Ambaram Karada to analyze the election results. Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh emerged victorious, defeating BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari by over 6,000 votes. The decision to replace veteran MLA Narottam Mishra with Tiwari sparked protests in Datiya, highlighting internal party tensions. The committee aims to ensure accountability and improve future electoral strategies.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 4, 2026, 19:18 IST

BJP's Response to Datiya By-Election Defeat

On August 4, following the defeat in the Datiya assembly by-election, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav convened a meeting with senior leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to discuss the loss. As a result, a two-member committee was established to evaluate the reasons behind the defeat. According to a party statement, Gaurav Randive, the state party general secretary, and senior leader Ambaram Karada have been appointed as committee members. The committee will engage with responsible officials and senior leaders related to the election to analyze the causes of the electoral setback and will submit its findings to state president Hemant Khandelwal.

In the Datiya by-election, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh triumphed over his closest rival, BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari, by a margin of 6,016 votes. After the vote counting on Monday, Singh secured 66,757 votes, while Tiwari received 60,741 votes. The candidate from the Azad Samaj Party, Damodar Yadav, finished third with 22,527 votes.

The BJP had nominated Tiwari in place of six-time MLA Narottam Mishra for this by-election. The decision not to grant a ticket to Mishra, a prominent regional leader, sparked significant protests in his home district of Datiya. Throughout his lengthy political career, Mishra has won three assembly elections from Dabra (Gwalior district) and three from Datiya.

During the protests on July 10-11, hundreds of Mishra's supporters blocked a major highway for over 12 hours, causing property damage and clashing with police, resulting in injuries to the district police superintendent and several officers. Sources indicate that during the recent meeting at the Chief Minister's residence, Tiwari raised concerns about alleged sabotage from certain party leaders during the by-election. He reportedly presented video and audio recordings as evidence to support his claims.

In addition to the Chief Minister, the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, ministers Rao Uday Pratap Singh, Dharmendra Lodhi, Tulsi Silawat, Narendra Shivaji Patel, Dilip Jayaswal, state president Hemant Khandelwal, and other key officials associated with the organization. Khandelwal had stated on Monday, following the election results, that discipline would be prioritized in the review process, and actions would be taken based on the committee's conclusions.