Jaipur, Jan 14 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday staged a protest rally in Dhorimanna against the recent redrawing of the geographical boundaries of Barmer and Balotra districts, accusing the BJP-led Rajasthan government of acting with political motives.
Senior Congress leaders warned that the decision would be reversed if the party returns to power.
A massive crowd gathered at the “Jan Aakrosh Rally” (public anger rally), reflecting strong local resentment over the decision to remove Gudamalani and Dhorimanna from Barmer district and include them in Balotra.
Former minister Hemaram Choudhary had been sitting on a dharna since the announcement of the boundary changes, demanding their rollback.
Addressing the rally, State Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra, Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, MLA Harish Choudhary and MP Ummedaram Beniwal jointly demanded that the state government immediately withdraw the decision.
They alleged that the BJP government had violated rules during the reorganisation of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, and was attempting to redraw district boundaries for electoral gains. The Congress leaders warned that such moves would backfire politically.
“The government believes it can benefit electorally by altering district boundaries, but this will prove to be its biggest mistake. The people will give a fitting reply in the upcoming Panchayati Raj and municipal elections,” they said.
Later in the evening, at the request of party leaders, Hemaram Choudhary announced the suspension of his protest. Leaders assured local residents that the issue would not be forgotten. They reiterated that if a Congress government is formed in 2028, Gudamalani and Dhorimanna would be brought back into Barmer district.
Addressing the gathering, Dotasra described the upcoming local body and panchayat elections as a “call to end BJP rule” in Rajasthan.
He accused the government of functioning in a dictatorial manner under the guise of delimitation and administrative restructuring, and claimed that public anger was growing across the state.
Leader of the Opposition Jully alleged that the government was favouring select industrialists through questionable land allocations in districts like Barmer and Jaisalmer, warning that such actions would cost the BJP its power.
Sachin Pilot said the Congress would raise the issue forcefully in the Assembly and asserted that the party would return to power in the state in the coming months. The rally underscored rising political tensions in western Rajasthan over administrative reorganisation and its local impact.
–IANS
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