Congress To Soon Launch Drive To Connect With Tribals In Gujarat

New Delhi: The Congress will soon launch a drive to regain ground in around 40 of the 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat where tribals can influence the election outcome.

The drive is part of the grand old party’s plan to re-strengthen itself down to the block level and simultaneously start political activities to prepare ground for the Assembly elections due in 2027. Under Rahul Gandhi’s direct supervision, the Gujarat unit got 40 new district unit chiefs together with new state unit chief Amit Chavda and Congress Legislature party leader Tushar Chaudhary who will now steer the party.

Of these, the appointment of Chaudhary, a tribal, eems to have been done with an eye on the influential community, the party insiders said. On his part, Chavda, who is heading the state unit for a second term, has already started discussions on the tribal outreach plan along with the community leaders.

Chavda has also asked the new district unit chiefs to focus on strengthening the local teams at the block and mandal level to create a robust organization to take on the BJP in 2027. The tribals used to be Congress supporters decades earlier but gradually shifted towards the saffron party which has been in power in Gujarat for the last 30 years.

Rahul who planned the organizational revamp in model state Gujarat is keen to change the situation and bring back the Congress to power in the next Assembly elections knowing fully well that it is not going to be an easy task.

“Rahul Gandhi told the new district unit chiefs that Gujarat is a very important state for the Congress. He told the new district unit heads that they will be the key drivers of the party. Our initial focus is now on restoring the organization at the village level. However, political activities will also be started across the state over the coming days,” AICC secretary in charge of Gujarat Ramkishan Ojha told ETV Bharat.

“The tribals have a significant presence in over 40 Assembly seats. We are concerned about their welfare. Over the coming days we will highlight their issues. We will also reach out to the community in a planned manner. The fact that we have appointed a tribal leader Tushar Chaudhary as the new legislative party leader will certainly send a positive message to the community,” said Ojha.

As per party estimates, Gujarat has 16 per cent SC, seven per cent tribal and 20 per cent OBC voters. Among the OBC, Patidars are around 14 per cent and are much sought after by both the BJP and the Congress. The appointment of Chavda, an OBC leader, as the new Gujarat unit chief, was not without reason as Rahul is focused on the community votes not only in Gujarat but across the country, said party insiders.

“I have held detailed discussions with the tribal cell to prepare the framework for programmes to protect the water, forest, and land rights of the tribal community in Gujarat. Alongside, detailed consultations have been held with the observers for selection of city and taluka level committee presidents and the appointment of ward leaders in municipal corporation. We will further strengthen the local organization from the taluka level to state level, amplifying the voice of the people of Gujarat,” Chavda told ETV Bharat.

Before the 2022 Assembly elections also, Rahul had flagged the concerns of the tribals prominently. He had drafted a charter for the community and promised to implement it if the party came to power.

The Congress had also flagged the issue of displacement of tribals due to the proposed Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking project. The party had also written to the National Commission for SC, ST stating the new rules framed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests allegedly diluted the role of the local panchayats during land take over approvals for industrial projects and were against the tribals.

“Water, forest and land has been our commitment to the tribals. The Congress will fight for their rights,” said former Gujarat Congress chief Jagdish Thakor.

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