INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
The Indian National Congress (INC), commonly known as the Congress Party, is a major political force in India. Founded on December 28, 1885, it was the first major nationalist movement in British-controlled Asia and Africa. Under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership from the late 19th century and especially after 1920, the Congress led the Indian independence movement, eventually securing independence from the UK and inspiring other anti-colonial movements.
Positioned centrally in Indian politics, the INC held its inaugural session in Bombay in 1885, with W.C. Bonnerjee presiding. Post-independence in 1947, it became a dominant secular party, with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as its first Prime Minister. Nehru’s tenure saw the implementation of socialist policies, including the Planning Commission and Five-Year Plans. After Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi led the party. Over 17 general elections since independence, the Congress has secured a majority seven times and led coalitions three times, governing for over 54 years. The party has produced six Prime Ministers, with Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964) being the first and Manmohan Singh (2004–2014) the most recent. Since the 1990s, the Bharatiya Janata Party has become its main rival.
In 1969, the Indian National Congress (INC) experienced a major split. Indira Gandhi’s faction formed Congress (R), while the remaining members became Congress (O). Congress (R) emerged as the dominant faction, winning the 1971 general election decisively. During 1975-1977, Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, leading to significant oppression. A further split in 1979 created Congress (I), which was officially recognized as the Congress by the Election Commission in 1981. Under Rajiv Gandhi, the party won a large victory in the 1984 elections but lost to the National Front in 1989.
The Congress returned to power with P. V. Narasimha Rao, who adopted economically liberal reforms, marking a departure from previous policies. After losing the 1996 election to the National Front, Congress returned to power in 2004 under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by Manmohan Singh, who was re-elected in 2009. However, Rahul Gandhi led the party to a severe defeat in the 2014 election, securing only 44 seats. In 2019, the party won 52 seats, failing to form the official opposition. The 2024 elections saw a better performance with 99 seats, making it the official opposition with its highest seat count in a decade.
On social issues, the INC advocates secularism, equal opportunity, healthcare, education, civil liberties, and a strong welfare state. As a centrist party, it promotes balanced positions on secularism, egalitarianism, and social stratification. It supports economic reforms like liberalization, privatization, and globalization. Since its formation, 61 individuals have served as the party president, with Sonia Gandhi being the longest-serving president (1998-2017, 2019-2022 as interim). Mallikarjun Kharge is the current president. The party is organized into district units, Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) at the state level, and the All India Congress Committee (AICC). It also includes various committees and segments like the Working Committee (CWC), Seva Dal, Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). Annual plenary sessions are held to discuss and promote party policies.
Here is a summary of the Indian National Congress (INC) performance in various legislative assemblies and Lok Sabhas:
Elections Results:
In the first parliamentary elections of 1952, the Indian National Congress (INC) won 364 out of 479 seats, capturing 76% of the contested seats and 45% of the vote. The party’s vote share remained around 40% until the 1977 general elections, where it suffered a major defeat, securing only 154 seats. The INC rebounded in the 1980 elections with a 42.7% vote share and 353 seats. By 1984, its vote share peaked at 48.1%. Rajiv Gandhi, after becoming Prime Minister in October 1984, called for early elections, which were held in December. The INC achieved a historic victory with 415 out of 533 seats and a vote share of 49.1%.
However, in the November 1989 elections, the party’s vote share fell to 39.5%, though it remained the largest single party. In 2004, the INC, led by Sonia Gandhi, unexpectedly became the largest party after early elections. It formed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) with support from smaller parties, securing a majority. From 1996 to 2009, the INC’s vote share declined by nearly 20%.
– 1934: 5th Central Legislative Assembly – Bhulabhai Desai: 42/147 seats
– 1945: 6th Central Legislative Assembly – Sarat Chandra Bose: 59/102 seats
– 1951: 1st Lok Sabha – Jawaharlal Nehru: 364/489 seats
– 1957: 2nd Lok Sabha: 371/494 seats
– 1962: 3rd Lok Sabha: 361/494 seats
– 1967: 4th Lok Sabha – Indira Gandhi: 283/520 seats
– 1971: 5th Lok Sabha: 352/518 seats
– 1977: 6th Lok Sabha: 153/542 seats
– 1980: 7th Lok Sabha: 351/542 seats
– 1984: 8th Lok Sabha – Rajiv Gandhi: 415/533 seats
– 1989: 9th Lok Sabha: 197/545 seats
– 1991: 10th Lok Sabha – P. V. Narasimha Rao: 244/545 seats
– 1996: 11th Lok Sabha: 140/545 seats
– 1998: 12th Lok Sabha – Sitaram Kesri: 141/545 seats
– 1999: 13th Lok Sabha – Sonia Gandhi: 114/545 seats
– 2004: 14th Lok Sabha: 145/543 seats
– 2009: 15th Lok Sabha – Manmohan Singh: 206/543 seats
– 2014: 16th Lok Sabha – Rahul Gandhi: 44/543 seats
– 2019: 17th Lok Sabha: 52/543 seats
– 2024: 18th Lok Sabha – Mallikarjun Kharge: 99/543 seats
HISTORY:
Foundation of the Indian National Congress:
In the late 1870s, efforts intensified to create a pan-Indian organization for nationalist influence. Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant and pro-Indian advocate, proposed forming a body to represent Indian interests. In 1883, he outlined his vision in an open letter to University of Calcutta graduates, aiming to increase Indian participation in government and foster dialogue with the British Raj.
Hume’s efforts led to the first session of the Indian National Congress, held from December 28 to 31, 1885, at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay, following a cholera outbreak that moved the venue from Poona. The session, approved by Viceroy Lord Dufferin, was presided over by Umesh Chandra Banerjee and attended by 72 delegates representing various provinces.
Notable attendees included Scottish ICS officer William Wedderburn, Dadabhai Naoroji, Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Justice K. T. Telang, N. G. Chandavarkar, Dinshaw Wacha, Behramji Malabari, Gooty Kesava Pillai, and P. Rangaiah Naidu. Most of the founding members had studied or lived in Britain, and for its first two decades, the Congress served more as a forum for elite ambitions than as a mass political movement.
Early Years of the Indian National Congress:
By 1905, the Indian National Congress (INC) had split into two factions with differing strategies for achieving Indian self-rule. The Moderates, led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, advocated for a gradual and constitutional approach, seeking reforms through dialogue and collaboration with the British authorities. They used petitions and resolutions to address Indian grievances.
In contrast, the Extremists, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai, favored more radical and direct action. They criticized the moderate approach and emphasized mobilizing mass support and national unity to challenge British rule. Tilak, for instance, used Hindu festivals like Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav and Shiv Jayanti to galvanize support through Hindu identity.
This ideological divide led to the Surat Split in December 1907, where the Congress was formally divided between moderates and extremists.
Annie Besant, an Irish theosophist, moved to India in 1893 and became involved with the Congress. Recognizing the need for unity, she and Tilak worked to reconcile the factions. In 1915, the Congress session in Lucknow, led by Ambica Charan Mazumdar, saw the admission of the extremists back into the party.
Prominent figures in early Congress included Dadabhai Naoroji, the first Indian MP in the British House of Commons, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Jinnah, initially a moderate favoring Hindu-Muslim unity, later led the Muslim League and played a key role in Pakistan’s creation. Surendranath Banerjee also contributed to transforming the Congress into a mass movement during the 1905 Bengal partition and the Swadeshi movement.
Congress as a Mass Movement:
In 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa and joined the Indian National Congress (INC), bringing significant popularity and influence. His previous experiences in South Africa made him well-known among both the educated and the masses. Gandhi led three major movements in 1917–1918: Champaran Satyagraha, Ahmedabad Mill Strike, and Kheda Satyagraha. These efforts solidified his role as the unofficial spiritual leader of the Congress.
In 1920, Gandhi formed an alliance with the Khilafat Movement to oppose British rule and employed civil disobedience (Satyagraha) as a key tactic. However, he suspended the agitation in 1922 following violence at Chauri Chaura.
Gandhi was elected president of the Congress in 1924 with support from the moderate faction led by Gokhale. His leadership, along with support from prominent figures like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and others, transformed Congress into a powerful and inclusive mass movement. This period saw Congress addressing social issues such as caste discrimination, untouchability, and poverty, expanding its appeal beyond its predominantly Hindu membership to include diverse religious, economic, and ethnic groups.
In 1929, during Jawaharlal Nehru’s presidency, Congress declared Purna Swaraj (complete independence) as its goal, setting January 26, 1930, as Independence Day. Srinivas Iyenger was expelled for advocating full independence instead of Gandhi’s demand for home rule.
Following the Government of India Act 1935, provincial elections in 1936–37 saw Congress gain power in eight out of eleven provinces. The All-India Muslim League did not secure government positions in any province.
In 1939, Congress ministers resigned in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow’s decision to involve India in World War II without consulting Indian leaders. The same year, Subhas Chandra Bose resigned from Congress due to internal disagreements.
Gandhi’s “Quit India” movement, launched in August 1942, called for the British to leave India and was met with severe repression. Despite mass arrests and violence, the movement weakened British control and set the stage for Indian independence.
In 1945, with World War II nearing its end, the Labour Party in the UK, promising Indian independence, won elections. Political prisoners from the Quit India movement were released, and the British Empire began to retreat from South Asia.
In 1946, in response to the trial of INA soldiers, Congress formed the INA Defence Committee, including prominent lawyers like Bhulabhai Desai and Jawaharlal Nehru, to defend them. The British ultimately retreated, influenced by the strong opposition from Congress.
POST INDEPENDENCE:
After India’s independence in 1947, the Indian National Congress (INC) emerged as the country’s dominant political party. In the 1952 general elections, the INC won decisively, holding power nationally until 1977 when it was ousted by the Janata coalition. The party returned to power in 1980, ruling until 1989. It then led a coalition government in 1991, and again in 2004 and 2009 through the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). During this time, the INC transitioned from socialist policies to a more neoliberal economic stance while maintaining centre-left social policies.
State-level rivals of the INC include national parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), as well as regional parties such as the Telugu Desam Party, Trinamool Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party.
In Pakistan, the Indian National Congress’s successor, the Pakistan National Congress, represented religious minorities and was strong in East Pakistan. Following the Bangladeshi War of Independence, it became the Bangladeshi National Congress but was dissolved by the government in 1975.
Nehru and Shastri Era (1947–1966):
From 1951 until his death in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru was the dominant leader of the Indian National Congress (INC). Under Nehru, the party achieved landslide victories in the 1951–52, 1957, and 1962 general elections. Nehru’s policies focused on import substitution industrialization and a mixed economy with a strong public sector, promoting key industries like steel, iron, coal, and power through subsidies and protectionism. He advocated secularism, a non-aligned foreign policy, and received support from both Eastern and Western Blocs for industrial development.
Nehru survived four assassination attempts during his tenure, including threats during the partition in 1947, and several attacks in the 1950s and early 1960s. Despite these threats, he resisted heavy security measures. In 1963, K. Kamaraj, then President of the All India Congress Committee, proposed the Kamaraj Plan to rejuvenate the party after its popularity waned following the 1962 Indo-Chinese War. The plan involved resignations of several senior leaders to focus on party revitalization.
Following Nehru’s death in 1964, Gulzarilal Nanda served as interim Prime Minister until a successor was chosen. Lal Bahadur Shastri was selected over Morarji Desai, with Kamaraj playing a key role in this decision. As Prime Minister, Shastri retained many of Nehru’s ministers and continued his non-alignment policy while strengthening ties with the Soviet Union. Shastri expanded the defense budget post-1962 Sino-Indian War and launched the White Revolution to boost milk production. The Madras anti-Hindi agitation also occurred during his tenure.
Shastri gained national acclaim for the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, popularizing the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” (“Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer”). He died under mysterious circumstances in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, shortly after signing the Tashkent Declaration. Indira Gandhi succeeded him as Congress leader, with Kamaraj again influencing the choice. Shastri’s death led to internal divisions within the party and the formation of several breakaway groups, including the Orissa Jana Congress and Bangla Congress.
Indira Gandhi Era (1966–1984):
1. Shifting Politics and Party Split (1966–1969):
Indira Gandhi, after becoming Prime Minister in 1966, began shifting Congress towards the political left. This change became evident in July 1969 when she supported V. V. Giri over the official Congress candidate, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, for the presidency. Her abrupt nationalization of 14 major banks in the same year marked a decisive move toward a more socialist agenda.
2. Congress Split (1969):
In November 1969, Congress President S. Nijalingappa expelled Gandhi for indiscipline, leading to a split. Gandhi formed her own faction, Congress (R), while the original party was known as Indian National Congress (O). The split was driven by ideological differences and political strategy, with Gandhi’s faction advocating populist policies and gaining substantial support from Congress MPs.
3. Election Victory and Policies (1971–1975):
The Congress (R) won a landslide victory in the 1971 general election on a platform of progressive reforms, including poverty alleviation (“Garibi Hatao”) and the abolition of the privy purse for former princely rulers. Gandhi’s government implemented further nationalizations, extending beyond banks to include industries such as coal, steel, and insurance.
4. The Emergency Period (1975–1977):
In June 1975, the High Court of Allahabad declared Gandhi’s election invalid due to electoral malpractice. In response, Gandhi declared a State of Emergency, citing disorder and lawlessness. The emergency, which lasted until March 1977, saw significant civil liberties restrictions, widespread arrests, and abuse of power by Gandhi’s son, Sanjay Gandhi. The Emergency ended with fresh elections in March 1977.
5. Defeat and Aftermath (1977):
In the 1977 elections, the Janata Party, a coalition of anti-Indira opposition parties, won decisively. Gandhi lost her seat to Raj Narain and Congress faced a significant defeat. The Janata Party’s victory marked the end of Gandhi’s initial term and led to a period of political realignment and challenges for the Congress Party.
6. Formation of Congress (I) (1978–1980):
On January 2, 1978, Indira Gandhi and her supporters split from the Congress (O) to form a new faction, Congress (I), with the “I” standing for Indira. Within a year, Congress (I) gained sufficient legislative support to become the official opposition. By November 1978, Gandhi regained a parliamentary seat. In January 1980, Congress (I) won a landslide victory in the general elections, and Gandhi was re-elected as Prime Minister. The Election Commission recognized Congress (I) as the genuine Indian National Congress for the 1984 elections, although the “I” was dropped in 1996.
7. Punjab Crisis and Operation Blue Star (1983–1984):
Gandhi’s tenure saw escalating turmoil in Punjab, where Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers demanded Sikh autonomy. By 1983, Bhindranwale had established a stronghold in the Golden Temple, Amritsar, and began stockpiling weapons. In June 1984, after failed negotiations, Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star, an army operation to regain control of the Golden Temple and remove Bhindranwale and his militants.
On October 31, 1984, Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, in retaliation for her decision to carry out Operation Blue Star. Her assassination triggered the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which resulted in the deaths of between 3,000 and 17,000 people.
Rajiv Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao Era (1984–1998):
1. Rajiv Gandhi (1984–1991):
Following his mother Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi became the head of Congress and Prime Minister. His administration achieved a landslide victory in the December 1984 elections, securing 401 seats in Parliament. Rajiv Gandhi initiated reforms to modernize government bureaucracy and liberalize the economy. However, his efforts to quell separatist movements in Punjab and Kashmir were largely ineffective and led to increased unrest.
The Bofors scandal, which implicated his government in financial misconduct, tarnished his reputation, although he was later cleared of bribery charges posthumously in 2004. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the Tamil Tigers on May 21, 1991, during an election campaign in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Tigers sought revenge for his intervention in Sri Lanka’s civil war. In 1998, 26 people were convicted for their role in the assassination.
2. P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991–1996):
Rajiv Gandhi was succeeded by P. V. Narasimha Rao, who became Prime Minister in June 1991. Rao, the first Prime Minister from South India, led a minority government. He won a by-election from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh after assuming office. Rao’s tenure marked significant economic reforms, including the dismantling of the Licence Raj and implementation of policies that shifted India towards a market-oriented economy. His finance minister, Manmohan Singh, played a crucial role in this economic transformation, which involved adopting International Monetary Fund (IMF) guidelines to stabilize India’s economy.
Rao’s reforms are credited with initiating India’s economic liberalization, and he is often hailed as the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms.” His political acumen earned him the nickname “Chanakya” for his adept handling of legislation and minority government politics.
3. Challenges and Leadership Changes (1996–1998):
By 1996, Congress faced internal challenges, including factionalism, corruption allegations, and declining popularity. The 1996 general elections resulted in a fragmented mandate, reducing Congress to 140 seats in the Lok Sabha. Rao resigned as Prime Minister and, subsequently, as party president in September 1996. He was succeeded by Sitaram Kesri, Congress’s first non-Brahmin leader. During Rao’s and Kesri’s leadership, the party grappled with internal elections and leadership disputes, reflecting the complex political landscape of the time.
Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh Era (1998–2014):
1. Sonia Gandhi’s Leadership (1998–2004):
In the 1998 general elections, Congress won only 141 seats, its lowest tally at that time. To revitalize the party, Congress leaders persuaded Sonia Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi’s widow, to take over as president. Despite her initial reluctance and previous decision to avoid politics, Gandhi accepted the role. Her leadership faced criticism due to her Italian origin and lack of political experience. A faction within Congress, opposing her leadership, split off to form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar.
Gandhi struggled in her early years as president, and in the 1999 snap elections called by the NDA government, Congress’s seats fell further to 114. Nonetheless, Gandhi made strategic changes, such as forming alliances with other parties and abandoning the previous “ekla chalo” (go it alone) policy. Her efforts yielded success in various state elections, leading Congress to govern 15 states at one point.
2. The 2004 General Election and UPA Formation:
For the 2004 elections, Congress allied with regional parties like the NCP and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Campaigning on social inclusion and welfare, with slogans like “Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath” (“Congress hand in hand with the common man”), Congress contrasted itself with the NDA’s “India Shining” campaign. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 222 seats, defeating the NDA and forming a government with the support of the Communist parties.
Although Sonia Gandhi had widespread support within Congress, she declined the prime ministership in favor of appointing Manmohan Singh. She remained as party president and led the National Advisory Council (NAC), which played a significant role in driving social reform legislation.
3. UPA’s First Term (2004–2009):
During the UPA’s first term, several landmark social reform bills were enacted, including the Employment Guarantee Act, the Right to Information Act, and the Right to Education Act. The NAC and the Left Front, which initially supported the UPA, were instrumental in these reforms. However, disagreements over the U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement led to the Left Front withdrawing its support. Despite losing 62 seats in the subsequent parliamentary trust vote, the UPA government survived.
4. The 2009 Elections and Second UPA Term:
In the 2009 elections, Congress secured 207 seats, the highest number for any party since 1991. The UPA won a total of 262 seats, allowing it to form a government for a second term. The social welfare policies of the previous UPA government and the BJP’s perceived divisiveness contributed to this victory.
Rahul Gandhi Era (2014–Present):
1. 2014 Election and Early Challenges:
By the 2014 general elections, Congress had lost significant support due to poor economic conditions and corruption scandals, including the 2G spectrum case and the Indian coal allocation scam. Congress won only 44 seats, its worst-ever performance, while the BJP and NDA secured 336 seats. This resulted in Congress’s vote share falling below 20% for the first time.
2. Rahul Gandhi’s Leadership (2017–2019):
Sonia Gandhi, after serving as Congress president for nineteen years, retired in December 2017, and was succeeded by her son Rahul Gandhi, who was elected unopposed. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, Congress faced another poor electoral performance in the 2019 general elections, winning only 52 seats, an improvement of just eight from 2014. The party’s vote share again fell below 20%.
Following this defeat, Rahul Gandhi resigned as party president. The Congress Working Committee, on 10 August 2019, appointed Sonia Gandhi as interim president while deliberations continued for a new leader. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was chosen as the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi as deputy leader, and Ravneet Singh Bittu as the party whip.
3. Party Defections and Internal Issues:
Between 2014 and 2021, the Congress party experienced a high rate of defections, with 222 candidates leaving to join other parties, including 177 MPs and MLAs. This exodus led to the loss of Congress governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Manipur.
4. 2022 INC Presidential Election:
On 28 August 2022, the Congress Working Committee decided to hold the 2022 INC Presidential Election. The election took place on 17 October 2022, with results announced on 19 October. Mallikarjun Kharge won the presidency, securing 7,897 of the 9,385 votes. His opponent, Shashi Tharoor, received 1,072 votes.