---
title: "Congress Expels Former Datia Lawmaker Amid Sabotage Allegations Prior to Bypoll Count"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/congress-expels-former-datia-lawmaker-amid-sabotage-allegations-prior-to-bypoll--3du7e
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-08-02T18:38:38.000Z
modified: 2026-08-02T21:00:40.199Z
language: en-IN
---

# Congress Expels Former Datia Lawmaker Amid Sabotage Allegations Prior to Bypoll Count

The Indian National Congress has suspended Rajendra Bharti from primary membership following accusations of campaign interference. The move comes as counting begins for the Datia assembly by-election, which was triggered by Bharti's own legal disqualification.

## Key takeaways

- Congress suspended Rajendra Bharti from primary membership with approval from Mallikarjun Kharge on the eve of the bypoll results.
- Bypoll candidate Ghanshyam Singh accused Bharti of sabotaging his campaign and collaborating with the BJP.
- The Datia assembly seat became vacant after Rajendra Bharti was disqualified in April due to a bank fraud conviction.
- Voter turnout for the July 30 by-election reached 71.44 percent, with the BJP fielding newcomer Ashutosh Tiwari.

## Internal Fractures Erupt in Datia Contest

In a swift disciplinary move announced hours before the August 3 vote tally, the Indian National Congress stripped Rajendra Bharti of his primary membership. Harish Chaudhary, the AICC general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, confirmed the action had received formal approval from party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The suspension follows a bitter public rift between Bharti, a former MLA, and the party's current bypoll candidate, Ghanshyam Singh.

### Allegations of Cross-Party Collusion

The conflict centers on accusations that Bharti actively undermined the Congress campaign to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ghanshyam Singh, a member of the Datia royal family and former Sewda legislator, alleged that Bharti worked in tandem with the opposition. Conversely, Bharti’s camp, led by his son Ankit Bharti, claims Singh maintains a long-standing alliance with senior BJP figure Narottam Mishra.
- Rajendra Bharti was disqualified in April following a conviction in a bank fraud case, necessitating the July 30 by-election.
- The BJP opted to field newcomer Ashutosh Tiwari, bypassing veteran Narottam Mishra, who previously lost the seat to Bharti in 2023.
- Election Commission data confirmed a 71.44% voter turnout for the contested seat.

### A History of Political Rivalry

The Datia seat has long been a flashpoint for intense personal rivalries. Bharti ended Narottam Mishra’s three-term dominance in the 2023 Assembly polls, and some party insiders suggest Bharti influenced the BJP’s decision to deny Mishra a ticket for this by-election. Despite this history, Singh maintains that Bharti failed to support the official Congress ticket, leading to the current disciplinary fallout.

Source: The Hindu — National

---
Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/congress-expels-former-datia-lawmaker-amid-sabotage-allegations-prior-to-bypoll--3du7e
Reported from: The Hindu — National