Supporters of senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra took to the streets in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia District after the former minister was denied a ticket for the July 30 assembly by-election.
The protest turned violent on Saturday morning as the protesters clashed with police on the national highway NH-44, blocking traffic.
The traffic on the NH-44 remained blocked for nearly 12 hours as over 3000 protesters clashed with the Datia Superintendent of Police and several cops.
The cops were injured in the clashes, and agitators were arrested by the security forces.
On Friday, the BJP announced that Ahutosh Tiwari would be the candidate for the Datia assembly bypoll. The announcement angered Mishra’s supporters, who expected him to be chosen as the candidate. Mishra had already bought a nomination form, PTI reported, quoting party sources.
The workers staged the blocked for 12 hours and pelted stones at the police, who asked them to clear the road. The supporters said that they would not withdraw unless ‘Narottam Dada’ was given the ticket.
The officers also fired tear-gas shells to disperse the mob, Datia collector Swapnil Wankhede told reporters.
Vehicles belonging to the police and others were damaged in the clashes.
More than six policemen were injured due to stone pelting. Datia SP Mayur Khandelwal said.
"We tried to pacify them, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct in the town. However, after they refused to back down and pelted stones, cops fired teargas shells to control the situation," the senior officer added.
After the announcement on Friday, several party office bearers, including the district unit president and local corporators, resigned from the party in protest.
Meanwhile, Mishra urged partu workers not to engage in violent acts. In a statement to ANI, he said, "This is the party's decision. I urge all party workers, especially after seeing videos on social media of workers pouring petrol or kerosene, not to engage in such actions. Within the party forum, views are expressed in an appropriate manner. They are not conveyed in this fashion."
The schedule for the by-elections to three assembly constituencies in the country was announced recently by the Election Commission.
The polling will be held on July 30, and counting of votes will take place on August 3, according to the schedule.
