Guwahati, Oct. 14: Opposition Congress workers and leaders today took out a rally on National Highway 37 at Chaygaon, 35km from the city, in protest against the state government's decision to withdraw the district status of South Kamrup.

Chaygaon Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed, who led the procession, told The Telegraph that nearly 4,000 party workers joined the rally.

A memorandum was also submitted to governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal through the deputy commissioner of South Kamrup, asking for the revocation of the government's decision.

The rally disrupted traffic for nearly two hours.

"The creation of South Kamrup district was a long-standing demand of the people, given the hardship one had to face to reach the district headquarters at Amingaon on the outskirts of Guwahati for their day-to-day work. The withdrawal of district status is an insult to the people of the three constituencies. Geographically and demographically the district assumes special significance. If chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal could create a district in Majuli without proper infrastructure, why not South Kamrup which has all basic infrastructure?" Ahmed asked.

South Kamrup district had as many as six revenue circles - Boko, Chaygaon, Palasbari, Nagarbera, Garoimari and Chamaria.

The Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government had created the district vide a February 27 notification this year.

The number of districts in Assam now has gone down to 33.

Ahmed, who was accompanied by the leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia and Boko Congress MLA Nandita Das, said the Congress would intensify its protest in the coming days.

The government recently also withdrew the district status of East Kamrup, carved out of Kamrup (metro) district with portions of Dispur and Jagiroad Assembly constituencies.

Additional reporting by Kishore Talukdar from Borjhar