Congress to Launch Nationwide Agitation from Jan 5 Against MGNREGA Repeal

Hyderabad, Dec 2025 : Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday announced that the party will intensify its agitation across the country from January 5 against the central government’s repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). He emphasized that MGNREGA, introduced by the Congress-led UPA government in 2005, is a constitutional right to work rather than a welfare scheme. Revanth warned that the BJP-led government at the Centre would face public backlash if it replaced the act with the newly introduced VB-G RAM G scheme.

Revanth Reddy made the announcement after attending the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi. The meeting was chaired by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, along with the chief ministers and senior officials from Congress-ruled states. Party sources indicated that the discussions primarily focused on the central government’s decision to abolish MGNREGA and the broader political, social, and economic implications of the move.

Speaking during the meeting, Revanth highlighted the widespread anger across the country over the repeal. He noted that MGNREGA was designed to alleviate hunger, provide livelihood security for rural families, and create durable village assets. He stressed that weakening or replacing the scheme would negatively impact millions of poor families. “People are angry over the repeal of MGNREGA, and the Modi government will have to face the consequences,” he said.

Revanth also announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Congress had decided to launch a nationwide “Save the MGNREGA Scheme” campaign from January 5. The initiative, approved unanimously by the CWC, will include large-scale agitations and protests across rural India. The committee strongly condemned the repeal, describing it as an attack on the rights of the rural poor, and resolved that the employment guarantee program must be safeguarded and implemented in its true spirit. Party units in all states have been tasked with mobilizing citizens for the campaign.

The CWC meeting saw the participation of Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, senior leader Harish Rawat, former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, and MPs Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Rajiv Shukla. Party sources noted that Revanth Reddy also raised organizational and electoral preparations for the 2026 assembly elections in five states, including West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Discussions covered strategies to counter alleged vote manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, as well as other key political and economic issues identified by the party.

Team Maverick