BHOPAL: Hours after the BJP sprang a surprise by denying a ticket to former state home minister Narottam Mishra for the Datia Assembly bypoll, his supporters staged a protest on Friday evening, blocking the Jhansi-Gwalior highway and raising slogans against the party leadership.The protest erupted in Datia after the BJP announced senior organisational leader Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the by-election, overlooking Mishra, a three-time MLA from the constituency.A large number of Mishra’s supporters, including women, gathered on the highway and staged a ‘chakka jam’, demanding that the BJP reconsider its decision and field the former minister instead.The blockade led to long queues of vehicles stretching nearly two kilometres on either side of the highway, causing major traffic disruption.Protesters not only raised slogans in support of Mishra but also shouted slogans against the BJP over its choice of candidate, reflecting resentment among a section of the party’s local cadre.The protest soon turned violent as protesters began pelting stones after security forces arrived. Police, in response, fired tear gas shells. At least six police personnel were injured.Datia SP Mayur Khandelwal said the situation was being closely monitored.“The traffic bottleneck still persists. We are tackling the law and order situation,” Khandelwal told TOI.The traffic disruption continued till the filing of this report as police personnel remained deployed at the spot to regulate movement and persuade protesters to clear the highway.The protest came as an embarrassing development for the BJP, which earlier in the day announced Tiwari’s candidature in a move that surprised many political observers, given Mishra’s long association with the Datia seat and his active engagement in the constituency since the bypoll was announced.Meanwhile sources said that local office bearers of party’s Datia unit have submitted resignation from party posts in support of Narottam Mishra.
