In a dramatic turn of events in Madhya Pradesh, Congress president Jitu Patwari rushed to the Legislative Assembly late Thursday night to protest the disqualification of Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti. Bharti was disqualified following a conviction for bank fraud, where he received a three-year prison sentence and a fine of ₹1 lakh (approximately $1,200 USD) from a Delhi court. Patwari criticized the timing of the disqualification, alleging it was orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for political gain. He described the actions taken as arbitrary and undemocratic, questioning the legitimacy of conducting such proceedings at night. BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai countered that Patwari's intervention was unconstitutional and that the Assembly was acting on lawful grounds. Bharti's conviction stems from a 27-year-old case involving fraudulent manipulation of a fixed deposit at the District Cooperative Rural Development Bank in Datia. His disqualification leaves the Datia seat vacant, with speculation that Narottam Mishra, the BJP's former candidate who lost to Bharti in the recent elections, may run again if a bypoll is called.