Rajasthan has 200 legislative assembly seats, and one of them is Pilibanga. This seat is in Hanumangarh district. The Pilibanga area is the centre of the Saraswati River Valley civilisation. Just 5 kilometres away from Pilibanga, Kalibanga is a prominent ancient civilization. Currently, the BJP holds this seat, and the MLA here is Dharmendra Mochi. Speaking of the political history of this seat, the Pilibanga assembly was formed in 1977. It was reserved in 2008. In the 10 elections held in Pilibanga, Congress won four times, BJP three times, Independents twice, and Janata Party once. In the first election in 1977, Janata Party’s Harichand Singh Siddhu represented the assembly. In the 1980 and 1985 elections, Congress candidate Jivaraj Singh was elected. In 1990, independent candidate Rampratap Kansaniya won, and in 1993, he contested as a BJP candidate and secured victory. In 1998, Congress returned, and Harichand Singh Siddhu was elected. In 2003, Rampratap Kansaniya won as an independent candidate and became the MLA. After that, in 2008, this seat was reserved for the scheduled caste. In 2013, BJP’s Draupadi Meghwal became the MLA. In the 2018 elections, Congress candidate Vinod Gothwal and BJP’s Dharmendra Mochi were in a tough competition, but the people blessed Dharmendra Mochi with a victory, winning by just 278 votes. In terms of caste dynamics, there are about 2,95,000 voters in Pilibanga, with the majority belonging to the scheduled caste, around 70,000. Additionally, about 30,000 votes are from the Sikh community. Addressing local issues, the lack of a proper drainage system leading to waterlogging after rain is a significant problem. There is also a shortage of doctors in government hospitals and teachers in government colleges. Broken roads in Pilibanga and Rautsar are major issues. Corruption in the Pilibanga municipality is a significant concern, and the residents also face electricity issues. Law and order, as well as women’s safety, are crucial matters. MLA Dharmendra Mochi claims that despite the Congress government, he has actively worked for the development of Pilibanga.
