Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Agar Malwa in Madhya Pradesh, Manohar Untwal died on Thursday morning. He was 53. Manohar Untwal had been undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital for the last month or so.

Manohar Untwal's death has also set into motion the process for another by-election in the state. There is already a by-election due at Joura in Morena district after incumbent MLA, the Congress's Banwarilal Sharma died.

By-elections in Madhya Pradesh gain significance given the razor-thin majority the Congress government enjoys in the state.

Prior to the Manohar Untwal's death, the Congress had 114 seats, the BJP 108, the SP one, the BSP two, independents four and one seat vacant where by elections are due in the 230 member state assembly. After Manohar Untwal's death the BJP has 107 MLAs. The by-elections are expected to be fiercely contested.

In case the Congress manages to win both the assembly by-elections, its numbers would go up to 116, which is the mark for simple majority. It would then not be dependent on the support of the four independents, two BSP and one SP MLAs.

Manohar Untwal had been elected as an MLA five times in 1998, 2003 and 2008 from the Alote assembly segment and again in 2013 and 2018 from Agar Malwa. In 2014, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Dewas seat.

Agar has been a traditional BJP seat. It is part of the area that was under the administrative control of the erstwhile Gwalior princely state.

Manohar Untwal's remains would be flown to Ujjain from Delhi and would then be taken Agar for the last rites.