Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would sound the poll bugle of the party for the coming Assembly elections in Rajasthan from Mangarh Dham in Banswara district on August 9.
August 9 is celebrated as World Tribal Day. The tribal vote bank has become the prime focus for both Congress and the Bharatiya Janaya Party (BJP).
Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said the Congress is going to hold a meeting at Mangarh Dham on the occasion of World Tribal Day. An invitation was sent to Gandhi for the meeting, he said.
The Mangarh Dham is located at the Dungarpur-Banswara border on the confluence of three rivers Som, Mahi and Jhakad – a pilgrim for the tribals.
“There was a demand for years to declare Mangarh Dham as a national monument. We would like our government to give such a gift in the presence of Rahul Gandhi so that their enthusiasm remains. We cannot declare it as a national monument, but we can make announcements in this direction by touching heights like a national monument, which will always remain a memory among the tribals,” Dotasar said.
“Rahul Gandhi’s visit is not political but a social message that we are standing with the tribal people. We will do whatever we can for the welfare and progress of the tribals,” he added.
In Rajasthan, eight districts of Banswara, Dungarpur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Sirohi, Pratapgarh and Pali fall under the scheduled area which has a total of 37 assembly constituencies.
21 of the 37 seats are held by the BJP while the Congress holds 11, independents three and the Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) has two seats.
BTP’s influence in the tribal belt of Rajasthan is a cause of concern for both BJP and Congress and therefore, both the principal parties are trying to keep the tribal vote bank with them.
Rajasthan has a total of 200 assembly seats. The 2023 Assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 200 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly.
