AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address the 'Adivasi Satyagrah Rally' on May 10 in tribal-dominated Dahod town of Gujarat, where elections are scheduled for later this year, a party functionary said on Tuesday.
Tribals are decisive in at least 40 of the 182 Assembly seats in the state, including 27 which are reserved for members of the Scheduled Tribe communities, said senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia while addressing a press conference here.
Giving details about Gandhi's visit, former state unit chief Bharatsinh Solanki said the purpose of the rally is to expose the ruling BJP, make tribals aware about their rights and tell them how the Congress will help them if voted to power.
"We had planned to organise this rally on May 1, but had to postpone it due to some unforeseen circumstances. Rahul Gandhi will address tribals on May 10 in Dahod town. At the rally, Congress will reiterate its resolve to fight for the rights of tribals, who are at the receiving end at present under BJP rule," Solanki told reporters.
The Congress leader accused the BJP of not implementing several pro-tribal Acts properly, such as MNREGA and Forest Rights Act, and also said the state government had displaced tribals from their land in the name of building highways and dams.
"The Congress will reinstate the rights of tribals given to them by the Constitution. Since we are confident of winning the Assembly polls, Rahulji will share Gujarat Congress' roadmap for the overall development of tribals during the rally," said Solanki.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Dahod on April 20 and launched various projects worth Rs 22,000 crore for the tribal region.