‘Well-planned conspiracy’: In Barmer, Congress protests against proposed redrawing of district boundaries

Later, all the leaders travelled together in a single vehicle to the SDM office as part of the rally where a large crowd had gathered, and gave him a memorandum of their demands. (File Photo)

The Congress Wednesday held a ‘Jan Aakrosh Rally’ in Dhorimanna in Rajasthan’s Barmer district to protest against the proposed changes in the boundaries of Barmer and Balotra districts, party leaders said.

Senior Congress leader Hemaram Choudhary has been sitting on a dharna in Dhorimanna for the past 11 days against the proposed changes, alleging that the changes in the boundaries were part of a “well-planned conspiracy”. Several party leaders have extended their support to Choudhary.

The protest follows a state government notification issued on December 31, 2025, under which the Dhorimanna and Gudamalani sub-divisions were removed from Barmer district and merged into Balotra, e the Baytu sub-division was moved back to Barmer.

State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, MP Ummedaram Beniwal, and senior leader Harish Chaudhary reached the protest site — in front of the power plant in Dhorimanna Wednesday, a key location along the national highway connecting Barmer and Sanchore.

Addressing the gathering, Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra alleged that the ruling BJP was acting in an “authoritarian” manner in the name of delimitation and Special Intensive Revision (SIR). “There is no need to bow before such rulers. This fight is not limited to Gudamalani or Dhorimanna, but concerns the entire state,” he said. He further referred to Chaudhary as a “young tiger”, and said that had the warnings been heeded earlier, the situation could have been avoided.

Jully, meanwhile, cautioned people against what he termed a political “trick,” saying those behind it would lose their positions. He said people should not be misled by “slips and assurances”, claiming that the BJP government had favoured its “industrialist friends” by allocating land in Barmer and Jaisalmer. “In the coming days, the people of Rajasthan will respond.” He praised Chaudhary for fighting for public rights, even amidst harsh winter conditions.

Pilot, in his address, said that during the previous Congress government, suggestions were made to keep population norms inclusive during delimitation. He said the party would raise the issue forcefully in the Assembly, and claimed that the Congress would return to power in the state within the next 35 months. Describing Chaudhary as a “symbol of honesty and integrity”, he said that there were no other instances in Rajasthan where district boundaries had been altered in such a manner.

Harish Chaudhary, too, alleged that the public was being misled through backdated orders, claiming even officials appeared uncertain when questioned about the changes.

The protest saw participation of more than 10,000 Congress workers and local residents, as opposition to the boundary changes continues to gain momentum in the region.