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National Parties Indian National Congress
Founded | 1885 |
Newspaper | Congress Sandesh |
Youth wing | Indian Youth Congress |
Women's wing | Mahila Congress |
Headquarters | 24, Akbar Road,New Delhi, 110011 |
Ideology | Populism |
Indian Nationalism | |
(Liberal nationalism) | |
Social liberalism | |
Democratic socialism | |
Social democracy | |
Secularism | |
Gandhian socialism | |
Political position | Center-left |
International affiliation | Alliance of Democrats |
Official colours | Aqua |
ECI Status | National Party |
Alliance | United Progressive Alliance (UPA) |
Election Symbol
Introduction
Indian National Congress, otherwise known as simply Congress is among the two biggest political parties in the country. The other of these two is Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP. INC is among India’s largest as well as the oldest parties in domestic political circles in the whole world. The platform in which the party’s political spectrum is based is mostly centre-left in the Indian politics. The Indian National Congress had its genesis in 1885, by Theosophical Society movement members namely Dadabhai Naoroji, Allan Octavian Hume, Womesh Chandra Bannerjee, Dinshaw Wacha, Monomohun ghose, Surendranath Bannerjee, William Wedderburn, and Mahadev Govid Ranade. Gradually, this party established itself as the leader in the movement of Indian independence, and garnered members over 15 million and participants over 70 million for its cause against British rule in the country. After India gained independence in the year 1947, the party became the most dominant political party in the country, with Gandhi-Nehru family being at the forefront for a major part, although leadership issues have emerged recently.
In the general Indian elections of 2009, congress came up as the largest single party in the lower house, where out of the 543 members in the house, 205 belonged to this party. After that, in coalition with a few allies, the United Progressive Alliance or UPA was formed which formed the government by gaining majority in the house.
History
If the history of the INC is traced, it can clearly be divided into two eras:
The party of pre independence, where congress spearheaded the Indian national struggle, with presence all over the country
Post independence period where a prominent place was wrested in the politics of India, having its rule for about 48 years out of the 60 years post independence
Before securing independence, activist and moderate groups were found within the congress. Moderates were those who were well educated and aimed at gaining faith of people, enabling it to lead the movement without causing bloodshed, while the revolutionary ideals were found with the activists, leading to formation of a militant organization.
Indian National Congress was found in 1885. The members responsible for its formation thought of reforms in the economic front, aiming for a bigger role in policy making by british for Indian people. By the year of 1907, there was an ideological split in the congress party as a whole, where Gopal Krishna Gokhale led moderate group which wanted a status of dominion for the country, while Bal Gangadhar Tilak wanted a militant group, demanding self rule. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, in 1920, led a massive movement of resistance in the passive manner, demanding lifting of restrictions on the political activities and press.
Even though there were claims by the congress party to be representing all Indians, muslims had apprehensions because hindus were more in the party and as a result they withdrew from the party. There were also divisions within the Congress, as far as economic reforms were considered. Those who were conservatives, propagated for reforms but with a cautious approach while socialism was advocated by leftists, Jawaharlal Nehru being one of the prominent leaders. It was in 1937 provincial elections that a show of strength was seen.
After World War II broke out, neutrality was proposed by congress party. As the Japanese forces attacked India, the Congress demanded that the Great Britain show a concessional attitude of a democratic rule, if they wanted cooperation against war. In response to such a demand, the party was declared as outlaw and leaders were arrested. In the year 1946, when elections were held for Indian Constituent Assembly, muslim votes were garnered by Muslim League, giving the foundation of partition and leading to the establishment of Pakistan as a separate state.
It was under the leadership of Nehru that governance of India was in the hands of the largest party in India after partition, the Congress. In the subsequent elections also, the party maintained its adjusted successful as the largest political party in the country, winning the seats in majority, which continued till 1960s. After the death of Nehru, support gradually was lost for the party. Then in 1966, Indira Gandhi, who was the daughter of Nehru, became the prime minister of the country and she was given challenge by a group of right-wing leaders within the party with powerful support and the party was divided in 1969, with one faction having Morarji Desai as its leader and other being led by Indira Gandhi.
The state elections in 1972 and before that the national elections in 1971, the faction under Indira Gandhi won with strong margins but in the year 1977, due to the reaction going around because of her imposition of emergency rule, which congress government lost for the first time since independence. In the 1980 elections again Indira Gandhi came back to power, when the coalition opposition party broke.
In 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated while Rajiv Gandhi took up the leadership and reelection in 1984 was won by the party. But in 1989, the congress was defeated as some scandals became evident and congress sat as the largest party in opposition. When in 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, PV Narsimha Rao became the party president and he became the prime minister, when the congress won with plural majority. Again in 1996, people rejected congress during elections but Rao continued as president of the party. After Rao, Sitaram Kesri took the mantle but was ineffective, until Sonia Gandhi, who was the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, came into the forefront. She was elected the head of the congress, and then some support base was built within the muslims as well as poor. But still in the elections of 1999, congress fared badly and in 2004, congress again came back to power, during which time, Sonia Gandhi did not accept the prime ministership. The coalition government was then having Mr Manmohan Singh as the prime minister, who was the finance minister formerly.
Organization
Organizational structure which was introduced by Mohandas Gandhi, during the period from 1918 to 1920, has been going on till present days.
There is a Pradesh Congress Committee or PCC in every Pradesh or state and Union territory, which is the party’s provincial part. The PCC was supposed to keep political campaigns at the state and local levels and work for the improvement of the parliamentary constituencies. Every PCC consists of working committee, whose leader was the state president. Congress Legislature parties were formed after congressmen got elected to the legislative assemblies of the states, who have tried their best to secure a seat. Pradesh congress committee consists of top 10-15 leaders who form the Working Committee, with a state president as the designated leader of this unit. The CLP in assemblies of different states choose their leader for nomination into chief minister post, who is the chairperson of the party.
There is a central committee named as All India Congress Committee or AICC, comprising of members designated by PCC from across the country. Different committees are formed by election by these delegates, of which Congress Working Committee is one, where office holders and senior leaders in the party are present, responsible for various political and executive decisions.
Indian National Congress selects the president as the national leader of the party, who is also Working Committee’s head as well as that of various important committees, prime ministerial candidates as well as chief spokesman.
According to the set rule of the constitution, AICC and PCC members elect the president. Sometimes though, the Working Committee overrules this procedure, whereby its chosen candidate is elected because of emergency reasons.
MPs who are elected to the rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha form the Congress Parliamentary Party. Pranab Mukherjee, who is a senior leader of Congress was the president, while the present Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is not the president because he is not a member due to his not contesting any election. Dr Singh is Rajya Sabha leader. Each state has its own CLP leader. All the congress MLAs in a state are present in the CLP which is under the leadership of Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the MLAs’ head. Those states where Congress rule is present without any alliances, the leader of CLP has been given the post of chief minister.
Congress in Various States
- In about eight states in India present, there is rule of congress, namely Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Haryana, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Rajasthan, with Congress having majority of its own.
- In about 6 more states, there is alliance with other partners, the states being Uttarakhand, Assam, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
- During the assembly elections in 1967, Congress lost its seat in Tamil Nadu and since there it hasn’t succeeded in getting back the power.
- The rest of the states and UTs in India are having different other parties are holding power.
Time-Line (Chronology)
Name of President | Life span | Year of Presidency | Place of Conference |
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | 29 December 1844 – 1906 | 1885 | Bombay |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 4 September 1825 – 1917 | 1886 | Calcutta |
Badruddin Tyabji | 10 October 1844 – 1906 | 1887 | Madras |
George Yule | 1829–1892 | 1888 | Allahabad |
William Wedderburn | 1838–1918 | 1889 | Bombay |
Pherozeshah Mehta | 4 August 1845 – 1915 | 1890 | Calcutta |
Anandacharlu | August 1843– 1908 | 1891 | Nagpur |
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | 29 December 1844 – 1906 | 1892 | Allahabad |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 4 September 1848 – 1925 | 1893 | Lahore |
Alfred Webb | 1834–1908 | 1894 | Madras |
Surendranath Banerjee | 10 November 1848 – 1925 | 1895 | Poona |
Rahimtulla M. Sayani | 5 April 1847 – 1902 | 1896 | Calcutta |
C. Sankaran Nair | 11 July 1857 – 1934 | 1897 | Amraoti |
Anandamohan Bose | 23 September 1847 – 1906 | 1898 | Madras |
Romesh Chunder Dutt | 13 August 1848 – 1909 | 1899 | Lucknow |
N. G. Chandavarkar | 2 December 1855 – 1923 | 1900 | Lahore |
Dinshaw Edulji Wacha | 2 August 1844 – 1936 | 1901 | Calcutta |
Surendranath Banerjee | 10 November 1825 – 1917 | 1902 | Ahmedabad |
Lalmohan Ghosh | 1848–1909 | 1903 | Madras |
Henry Cotton | 1845–1915 | 1904 | Bombay |
Gopal Krishna Gokhale | 9 May 1866 – 1915 | 1905 | Benares |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 4 September 1825 – 1917 | 1906 | Calcutta |
Rash Behari Bose | 23 December 1845 – 1921 | 1907 | Surat |
Rash Behari Bose | 23 December 1845 – 1921 | 1908 | Madras |
Madan Mohan Malaviya | 25 December 1861 – 1946 | 1909 | Lahore |
William Wedderburn | 1838–1918 | 1910 | Allahabad |
Bishan Narayan Dar | 1864–1916 | 1911 | Calcutta |
Raghunath Narasinha Mudholkar | 1857–1921 | 1912 | Bankipur |
Nawab Syed Muhammad Bahadur | ?- 1919 | 1913 | Karachi |
Bhupendra Nath Bose | 1859–1924 | 1914 | Madras |
Lord Satyendra Prasanna Sinha | March 1863– 1928 | 1915 | Bombay |
Ambica Charan Mazumdar | 1850–1922 | 1916 | Lucknow |
Annie Besant | 1 October 1847 – 1933 | 1917 | Calcutta |
Madan Mohan Malaviya | 25 December 1861 – 1946 | 1918 | Delhi |
Syed Hasan Imam | 31 August 1871 – 1933 | 1918 | Bombay (Special Session) |
Motilal Nehru | 6 May 1861– 6 February 1931 | 1919 | Amritsar |
Lala Lajpat Rai | 28 January 1865– 17 November 1928 | 1920 | Calcutta (Special Session) |
C. Vijayaraghavachariar | 1852– 19 April 1944 | 1920 | Nagpur |
Hakim Ajmal Khan | 1863– 29 December 1927 | 1921 | Ahmedabad |
Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das | 5 November 1870– 16 June 1925 | 1922 | Gaya |
Mohammad Ali Jouhar | 10 December 1878– 4 January 1931 | 1923 | Kakinada |
Abul Kalam Azad | 1888– 22 February 1958 | 1923 | Delhi (Special Session) |
Mohandas Gandhi | 2 October 1869– 30 January 1948 | 1924 | Belgaum |
Sarojini Naidu | 13 February 1879– 2 March 1949 | 1925 | Kanpur |
S. Srinivasa Iyengar | September 11, 1874– 19 May 1941 | 1926 | Gauhati |
Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari | 25 December 1880– 10 May 1936 | 1927 | Madras |
Motilal Nehru | 6 May 1861– 6 February 1931 | 1928 | Calcutta |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1929 & 30 | Lahore |
Vallabhbhai Patel | 31 October 1875– 15 December 1950 | 1931 | Karachi |
Madan Mohan Malaviya | 25 December 1861 – 1946 | 1932 | Delhi |
Madan Mohan Malaviya | 25 December 1861 – 1946 | 1933 | Calcutta |
Nellie Sengupta | 1886–1973 | 1933 | Calcutta |
Rajendra Prasad | 3 December 1884– 28 February 1963 | 1934 & 35 | Bombay |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1936 | Lucknow |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1936& 37 | Faizpur |
Subhas Chandra Bose | 23 January 1897 – Unknown | 1938 | Haripura |
Subhas Chandra Bose | 23 January 1897 – Unknown | 1939 | Tripuri |
Abul Kalam Azad | 1888– 22 February 1958 | 1940–46 | Ramgarh |
J. B. Kripalani | 1888– 19 March 1982 | 1947 | Meerut |
Pattabhi Sitaraimayya | 24 December 1880– 17 December 1959 | 1948 & 49 | Jaipur |
Purushottam Das Tandon | 1 August 1882– 1 July 1961 | 1950 | Nasik |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1951 & 52 | Delhi |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1953 | Hyderabad |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 14 November 1889– 27 May 1964 | 1954 | Calcutta |
U. N. Dhebar | 21 September 1905 – 1977 | 1955 | Avadi |
U. N. Dhebar | 21 September 1905 – 1977 | 1956 | Amritsar |
U. N. Dhebar | 21 September 1905 – 1977 | 1957 | Indore |
U. N. Dhebar | 21 September 1905 – 1977 | 1958 | Gauhati |
U. N. Dhebar | 21 September 1905 – 1977 | 1959 | Nagpur |
Indira Gandhi | 19 November 1917– 31 October 1984 | 1959 | Delhi |
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 19 May 1913– 1 June 1996 | 1960 | Bangalore |
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 19 May 1913– 1 June 1996 | 1961 | Bhavnagar |
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 19 May 1913– 1 June 1996 | 1962 & 63 | Patna |
K. Kamaraj | 15 July 1903– 2 October 1975 | 1964 | Bhubaneswar |
K. Kamaraj | 15 July 1903– 2 October 1975 | 1965 | Durgapur |
K. Kamaraj | 15 July 1903– 2 October 1975 | 1966 & 67 | Jaipur |
S. Nijalingappa | 10 December 1902– 9 August 2000 | 1968 | Hyderabad |
S. Nijalingappa | 10 December 1902– 9 August 2000 | 1969 | Faridabad |
Jagjivan Ram | 5 April 1908– 6 July 1986 | 1970 & 71 | Bombay |
Shankar Dayal Sharma | 19 August 1918– 26 December 1999 | 1972– 74 | Calcutta |
Dev Kant Baruah | 22 February 1914 – 1996 | 1975– 77 | Chandigarh |
Indira Gandhi | 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984 | 1978 – 83 | Delhi |
Indira Gandhi | 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984 | 1983-84 | Calcutta |
Rajiv Gandhi | 20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991 | 1985-91 | Bombay |
P. V. Narasimha Rao | 28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004 | 1992-96 | Tirupati |
Sitaram Kesri | November 1919 – 24 October 2000 | 1997-98 | Calcutta |
Sonia Gandhi | 9 December 1946– | 1998–present | Calcutta |
Famous Ministers of the Party
Mahatma Gandhi
Born on October 2nd 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi has been one of the prominent leaders of Indian national movement during the time India was ruled by the Britishers and is famously known as Mahatma Gandhi. By bringing about a non violent approach in the disobedience movement in the civil society, he brought independence to the country, inspiring plenty of movements related to civil rights, non-violence and independence in other areas of the world.
Gandhi was born to a government officer of senior ranks belonging to Bania community of hindu religion, in Gujarat’s coastal area, who then went to London to study law. He became known when he fought for the rights of civilians belonging to hindu and muslim Indians living in South Africa, where he propagated non violence in the disobedience movement which he first brought into force. In 1915, he came back to India, where his first aim was to organize the peasants in the country against land taxes levied in excess. He had been an opponent for introducing politics into religion and due to this he became dear for the causes of all religious groups. Muslims also considered him as their leader because he supported their protest against Caliphate’s lowering status. In 1921, he assumed the role of leading the Indian National Congress and thereafter was responsible for mass movements for alleviating poverty, giving rights to women groups, introducing amity in religion and ethnic groups, removing untouchability, providing self-reliance in economic front and most importantly, aiming for swaraj, which meant independence of the country from domination of the British.
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai lived from 28 january 1865 to 17 november 1928, and was well known as a author as well as a politician, remembered primarily for this leadership in independence movement in india’s freedeom struggle from britishers. Lala Lajpat Rai was given the name of Punjab Kesari or Sher-e-Punjab, which meant the Lion of Punjab and famously belonged to the trio of Lal Bal Pal. He was associated also with banking activities in Lakshmi Insurance Company and Punjab National Bank, since long, from their initial days. During a protest against the Simon Commission in a non-violent manner, which he was leading, Lala received injuries of serious nature and succumbed within 3 weeks. In India, the day of his death, November 17th, has been celebrated as one among various of the Martyr’s Day in India.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru, was one of the most famous statesman and politicians in the country, taking part in Indian movement for independence, was known also by the name of Panditji and he went on to hold the first prime ministership in independent India. It was the decision of Indian National Congress that Nehru would become the Prime minister after india became independent in 1947 and then when the party won the general elections for the first time in 1951, he was reelected as prime minister. Nehru is known as one among the founding leaders of Non aligned movement in the world.
Jawaharlal Nehru was born to Motilal Nehru, who himself was a member of the congress party and nationalist figure of moderate ideologies. He also occupied the status of leader in the congress’s left wing and became president of the party under the tutelage of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. His ideology was related to Fabian or Democratic socialism and had the idea that, for economic development, strong public sector would be highly beneficial for poorer nations. Indira Gandhi was his daughter while his grandson was Rajiv Gandhi, who were in later years got elected as the 3rd and 6th prime ministers of the country.
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (from 19th Nov 1917 to 31st Oct 1984), had been a well known national figure politician, who went on to become the 3rd prime minister of India and continued for 3 more terms till 1977 from 1966 and against ascended to the same post once again from 1980 to 1984. She also created the distinction of being the 2nd female after Srimavo Bandaranaike of Srilanka, to be serving in the prime minister position for the longest time in the whole world till date. In India, she was the first women prime minister.
Indira was Jawahalal Nehru’s only child, who was the prime minister of the country. Like her father’s ideology, Indira Gandhi was adherent to the quasi socialist policies regarding developing industries and had established close contacts with Soviet Union, which extended support for the conflict with Pakistan. She has been the only prime minister of India who declared emergency state so that she could rule by decree and was imprisoned as a prime minister. Because of her move to start Operation Blue Star, here sikh bodyguards assassinated her.
Sonia Gandhi
Originally born in Italy as Antonia Edvige Albina Maino in the year 1946 on 9th December, Sonia Gandhi is a well known Indian politician, leading the Indian National Congress as the president. She was married to Late Rajiv Gandhi, who was the prime minister for a short period of time and thereby also belongs to the Nehru Family. After the killing of Rajiv Gandhi, INC called upon her to take the leadership of Congress, to which she refused and distanced herself from politics till 1997. In 1997, she agreed and was elected into the Congress party as the leader in 1998.
Since 1998, Sonia Gandhi has remained the Congress party’s president and is also the chairperson of the UPA or United Progressive Alliance in the lower house since the year 2004. When she was reelected for the fourth term in 2010, she earned the distinction of being the president of Indian national Congress who served for the longest period, in the 125 years of existence of the party. Her foreign Italian nationality has cropped up a lot of controversies and debates, although she was the fifth INC president with foreign birth and the first since independence.