Small issues emerge in large family: MP deputy CM amid protests over BJP's Datia bypoll candidate

Datia (MP), Jul 12 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda has said "small issues" crop up in large families, after unrest here following the denial of a ticket to senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra for the July 30 Datia assembly bypoll. After arriving in Datia on Saturday evening, Devda offered prayers at the Maa Pitambara temple and met local BJP leaders and workers. The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti lost his assembly membership following his conviction in a cheating case. Polling is scheduled for July 30 and counting of votes will take place on August 3. The BJP on Friday named Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the bypoll, overlooking former state home minister Mishra. The decision sparked violent protests by Mishra's supporters, with demonstrators blocking National Highway-44 for nearly 12 hours. Several police personnel, including the Datia superintendent of police, were injured in clashes and stone-pelting before police dispersed the protesters using tear gas and detained several persons. Devda has been sent to Datia by the state leadership to diffuse the political turmoil, according to party insiders. "Small issues do arise in a very large family. They get resolved," Devda told PTI over the phone when asked about the unrest in Datia. "Everything is completely normal," he asserted. "I prayed for the well-being and good health of all," he added regarding his visit to Maa Pitambara temple, a place of faith visited by many leaders. The deputy CM said he had met local party workers and leaders, who would begin campaigning for the bypoll from Sunday. State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal is also scheduled to visit Datia on Sunday as the party seeks to close ranks ahead of the bypoll. In a related development, Mishra met Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Khandelwal and BJP regional organisational general secretary Ajay Jamwal in Bhopal on Saturday. The BJP later said organisational matters and preparations for the bypoll were discussed and asserted that the organisation was supreme and all workers stood firmly behind its decisions. The party also said resignations submitted by some workers were an emotional reaction and would not be accepted, adding that all workers would campaign unitedly to ensure Tiwari's victory. The Congress on Saturday nominated former MLA Ghanshyam Singh to take on the BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari in the bypoll. State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has ruled out any change in the BJP candidate, saying the party has no tradition of replacing a nominee after the ticket is announced. Mishra said he will accompany Tiwari on Monday to file nomination papers in Datia. "I have told them (his supporters) to keep calm. Normalcy is returning in Datia," Mishra told reporters. Meanwhile, the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray has offered a ticket to Narottam Mishra for the byelection. Sunil Sharma, the Madhya Pradesh head of Sena (UBT), said if Mishra accepted the offer, party president and former Maharashtra chief minister Thackeray and others would campaign for him. PTI LAL SKY GK