Congress Suspends Former Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti Ahead of Bypoll Results

The Congress suspended former Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti from its primary membership on August 2, 2026. The disciplinary action came hours before the Datia assembly byelection results, as reported by PTI.

The official order was issued by Madhya Pradesh in-charge Harish Chaudhary. It received the approval of All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge. The party statement gave no official reasons for the sudden suspension.

The move followed public allegations from Congress candidate Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh. Singh accused Bharti of colluding with the BJP and actively sabotaging his election campaign.

Bharti Alleges Political Conspiracy

The action drew immediate defiance. Bharti dismissed the suspension order.

Bharti told PTI that the action "did not affect him". He said the decision was wrong and the public would respond in the 2028 Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.

Bharti alleged the incident was a "conspiracy" orchestrated by senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra. He claimed Singh contested the election in direct collusion with Mishra. Bharti defeated Mishra by over 7,700 votes during the 2023 assembly elections. The former MLA said his struggle has always been against Mishra and it will continue, as reported by PTI.

Conviction Triggers Datia Byelection

The Datia seat became vacant in April.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Delhi Rouse Avenue court sentenced Bharti to three years of imprisonment on April 2, 2026. The conviction fell under IPC Sections 120B, 420, 467, 468, and 471 for cheating and forgery, which triggered his assembly disqualification.

The Datia byelection took place on July 30. The constituency recorded a 71.44 per cent voter turnout. The race featured Congress candidate Singh, BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari, and 19 other candidates. The results will be declared on Monday, PTI reported.