Datia, July 13 (IANS) Congress candidate and former MLA Ghanshyam Singh filed his nomination for the Datia Assembly bypoll on Monday, with senior party leaders rallying behind him and asserting that resentment within the BJP over the denial of a ticket to former minister Narottam Mishra would benefit the opposition.
Senior Congress leaders, including Madhya Pradesh party chief Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and former MLA Rajendra Bharti, accompanied Singh to the Collectorate during the nomination process.
Speaking to IANS after filing nomination, Singh thanked the Congress leadership and the people of Datia for reposing faith in him. “The Congress party has given me this responsibility after taking feedback from the people. My name was at the top in the party’s surveys. I am grateful to the leadership and to the people of Datia. Their support gives me confidence,” he said.
A two-time MLA from Datia, Singh said the political situation had changed over the years, but people were still looking for an alternative. “There is a big difference between the politics of the past and the present, but the desire for change among the people remains the same. We are contesting this election with full confidence,” he added.
Targeting the ruling BJP, Singh claimed that resentment among its workers had intensified after former Home Minister Narottam Mishra was denied the party ticket. “Narottam Mishra’s ticket being cut has changed the political equations. There is widespread dissatisfaction within the BJP. Many of their own workers will not support the party in this election. Congress is fully confident of victory,” Singh said.
He also dismissed the possibility of a triangular contest, alleging that the Azad Samaj Party was acting as the BJP’s ‘B-team’ to divide votes.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party state president Manoj Yadav said his party was backing the Congress candidate in line with the INDIA bloc’s strategy and accused the BJP of weakening democratic values.
The BJP has fielded Ashutosh Tiwari for the bypoll after dropping former minister Narottam Mishra, while the Azad Samaj Party has nominated Damodar Yadav, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral contest in Datia.
The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified on April 2 under provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Polling is scheduled for July 30, while counting of votes will take place on August 3.
–IANS
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