Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, lauded the protest held in Delhi, saying it had sent a powerful message across the country about citizens' determination to protect democratic values. Speaking to reporters at Bikaner Airport, Gehlot also made a pointed call for unity within the Congress party to strengthen what he described as a nationwide battle against dictatorial forces.

Gehlot on the Delhi Protest

Describing the protest as 'magnificent', Gehlot asserted that the country's younger generation — including Gen Z — was firmly united in the cause of safeguarding democracy. 'We will not allow the designs of these dictatorial forces to succeed at any cost,' he said. The remarks came as opposition groups have sought to frame recent street protests as a broad-based democratic resistance, a narrative Gehlot appeared keen to amplify.

Call for Internal Unity Within Congress

Responding to questions about his earlier statement in Jaipur — where he had said 'we are all one' — Gehlot maintained that his remarks were made after careful deliberation and that the unity he had spoken of would become evident in due course. He stressed that the Congress, under the leadership of party President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, was at the forefront of opposing what he termed dictatorial forces. 'At a time like this, if we do not remain united within the states, how can we fight the battle to save democracy nationwide?' he asked. Protecting democracy, he said, was the party's foremost priority.

Sharp Criticism of the Rajasthan Government

Asked whether IAS and IPS officers were dominating the Bhajanlal Sharma-led Rajasthan government, Gehlot did not hold back. 'There is no such thing as a government there! Officials themselves are saying that this government has no grip or influence over the administration,' he said, questioning the ruling dispensation's authority over its own bureaucracy. The criticism marks a continuation of Gehlot's aggressive opposition posture since the Congress lost the Rajasthan assembly election.

Congress Confident Ahead of Panchayati Raj Elections

On the subject of the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections, Gehlot expressed confidence that the Congress would secure a 'massive majority'. He noted that the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC), led by President Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully, was actively working to consolidate the party's base. According to Gehlot, committees have been constituted at the district, block, and state levels to oversee election preparations. He said the organisational exercise had already shifted the political atmosphere across Rajasthan and expressed confidence that the party would contest the elections unitedly and register a 'spectacular victory'.

With the Panchayati Raj elections approaching and intra-party consolidation underway, Gehlot's remarks signal that Congress intends to use local-body contests as a test bed for rebuilding its organisational strength in a state it lost less than three years ago.