Congress wins Datia seat, beating BJP by 6,016 votes

The Congress party retained the Datia Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party in a closely watched by-election on Monday, August 3, 2026. Congress candidate Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh secured victory by a margin of 6,016 votes over his BJP rival, first-time candidate Ashutosh Tiwari.

Singh, a member of Datia's erstwhile royal family, received 66,757 votes. Tiwari polled 60,741 votes. The bypoll saw a strong third-place performance from Azad Samaj Party candidate Damodar Singh Yadav, who finished with 22,527 votes. The outcome, while not altering the balance of power in the BJP-dominated state assembly, provides a significant morale boost for the Congress and signals potential organizational challenges for the ruling party. The result was declared after counting that began on Monday, following voting that took place on July 30, 2026, with a voter turnout of 71.44 percent.

Political analysts framed the loss as a notable setback for the BJP in a constituency long considered its stronghold. The seat was held for three consecutive terms by senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra, a former state home minister, until he lost it in the 2023 assembly election. The...