Supporters of former Home Minister Narottam Mishra clashed with police and blocked National Highway 44 on Saturday after the BJP denied Mishra a by-poll ticket.

The unrest highlights internal friction within the BJP in Madhya Pradesh as the party navigates candidate selection for the Datia assembly by-poll. The decision to field Ashutosh Tiwari instead of Mishra has triggered a rebellion among local party loyalists.

More than 3,000 supporters [1] gathered on the Jhansi-Gwalior stretch of National Highway 44 in the Datia district. The resulting blockade lasted for 12 hours [2], disrupting traffic on one of the region's primary transit arteries.

Violence broke out during the protest, leading to injuries among law enforcement. At least six police personnel, including senior district officials, were injured during the clash [3], a police spokesperson said.

The protests included local BJP councillors and district officials. Raghuvir Saran, the BJP District President, said all BJP councilors have submitted their resignations [4].

Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya defended the party's decision to nominate Tiwari. "Not all aspirants can get a ticket," Vijayvargiya said [5].

Police deployed additional forces to the area to restore order and clear the highway. The tension follows the official announcement that the party would not field the former Home Minister for the upcoming Datia seat.

“Not all aspirants can get a ticket.”

The resignation of district councilors and the scale of the highway blockade suggest a significant rift between the BJP's central leadership and the local grassroots machinery in Datia. This internal instability could impact the party's performance in the by-poll, as the denial of a ticket to a high-profile figure like Narottam Mishra has alienated a substantial portion of the local party base.