Congress names Tika Ram Jully as LoP in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Congress today appointed Alwar (rural) legislator, Tika Ram Jully as leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly today. He became the first Dalit leader to be elevated to this coveted post in Rajasthan.

Jully, 43, a three-time legislator, has been a minister in the previous Congress government. Till now neither Congress nor BJP have ever appointed a Dalit leader to this post. Till date, the Opposition leaders have always come from Upper caste or OBC category.

Jully was a state minister in the Ashok Gehlot Cabinet, later he was promoted to the Cabinet rank as the minister of Social Justice and Empowerment and Jail. He first became a legislator in 2008 and then in 2018. He has been working to make the Congress strong at the organisational level.

Jully is said to be close to Alwar royal family scion and Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra Singh. A close confidante of Rahul Gandhi, Jitendra Singh may have had a role to play in making Jully the Opposition leader.

The leader of the Opposition gets the same facilities as a minister of Cabinet rank.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated Jully on X handle, hoping he would bring up the issues concerning the welfare of the people of Rajasthan. Jully also shared the news on his 'X' handle.

Meanwhile, Govind Singh Dotasra will remain as the Congress state president, the Congress press release said.

Congress managed to win 70 seats in a House of 200 in the Assembly elections held in November 2023. BJP won 115 seats.

The newly elected Rajasthan legislature would begin its first Assembly session from Jan 19.