Tue. Mar 19th, 2024
image for representation

After kick-starting the poll campaign for the assembly election in Rajashtan on Aug 11 2018, Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Rajasthan Today. Around 9 am Rahul Gandhi tweeted that he will be visiting the Dungarpur district of south Rajasthan. He will meet the congress leaders and party workers. He will also address a public meeting in Sagwara at Bhikha Bhai college sports ground.

The area comprises mainly of tribal people and this rally is considered to play a crucial role in the upcoming elections. Rahul Gandhi also has an emotional connect with this area as the mortal remains of former prime ministers Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were immersed at the confluence of the Som-Mahi rivers in Beneshwar Dham, the tribal ‘Mahakumbh’, about 25 km from the giant stage prepared for him to address representatives of the 45 lakh-strong tribal population of the region. Although the party state chief Sachin Pilot is confident of Congress getting a majority this time, in 2013 assembly polls the BJP had won 14 out of 16 seats in this region, despite the fact that the then congress government in the state had launched a Rs 1200 crore railway project for a better connectivity of this region to the other parts of the state.

According to a political commentator, Ram Pratap Singh, it could have been for the fact that Narendra Modi has a great influence in these tribal districts bordering Gujarat.He said, ”The BJP slowly penetrated in the traditional vote bank through the word of Modi’s good work in Gujarat. Also, the RSS has been working closely with tribals for the last two decades winning base for BJP. All these factors contributed to rise of BJP in this otherwise Congress stronghold. Congress then would have to work really hard to bounce back.”

Before 2013 elections, this tribal region was mostly dominated by the Congress party and the party had a strong foothold. But the 2013 elections changed the game and the region was painted saffron. Choosing to address the tribal region for his first election meeting can be a bid from the congress to woo back the tribal votes.

By fatima

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