Factionalism within the Rajasthan Congress is a long-standing issue, with divisions that emerged during the party’s previous stint in government continuing to remain unresolved. These internal differences have once again come into focus amid renewed political activity around mining in the Aravalli mountain range.
NSUI Rally Brings Leadership Divide Into Focus
Statements by senior state Congress leaders on the Aravalli issue are now being made across the country. Against this backdrop, NSUI state president Vinod Jakhar, who is associated with the Sachin Pilot camp, has announced a foot march on the issue. Sachin Pilot himself is set to take part in the rally and has shared details of the event on social media.
The NSUI-led march against the ruling BJP is scheduled for Friday, December 26, and will cover a distance of two and a half kilometres. Several Congress MLAs and senior leaders, including Sachin Pilot, are expected to participate.
Questions Over Scale of Protest
The rally has drawn attention partly because of its limited length. The Congress is currently in the opposition in Rajasthan, and the two-and-a-half-kilometre march on a national environmental issue has invited political scrutiny.
Observers have contrasted this with an earlier episode during the previous Congress government, when the Sachin Pilot faction undertook a 100-kilometre foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur over the paper leak issue, which was directed against their own government.
Political Messaging Under Scrutiny
The comparison between the two marches has fuelled criticism, with some questioning whether the current protest against the BJP reflects substantive political mobilisation or symbolic participation. The differing scales of protest have become a talking point within political circles.
Social Media War Between Factions
Supporters of both camps have taken to social media to criticise each other over the NSUI rally. The exchange of posts and counter-posts has further highlighted the underlying factional tensions within the party.
Experts Flag Strategic Posturing
Political experts point out that former chief minister Ashok Gehlot was the first to raise the Aravalli mining issue. They suggest that the other camp is now hesitant to project the issue too aggressively, choosing instead to mark its presence through the NSUI-led march as a matter of political formality.
As the rally unfolds, attention will remain on who turns up and how the Congress manages its internal dynamics in opposition.