Misplaced Pages

#939060

175-420: (4030 MLAs and 5 vacant) (390 MLCs and 36 vacant) The Indian National Congress ( INC ), colloquially the Congress Party or simply the Congress , is a political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Empire in Asia and Africa. From the late 19th century, and especially after 1920, under

350-532: A catch-all and secular party, dominating Indian politics for the next 50 years. The party's first prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru , led the Congress to support socialist policies by creating the Planning Commission , introducing Five-Year Plans , implementing a mixed economy, and establishing a secular state . After Nehru's death and the short tenure of Lal Bahadur Shastri , Indira Gandhi became

525-511: A state of emergency in India, resulting in widespread oppression and abuses of power. Another split in the party occurred in 1979, leading to the creation of the Congress (I), which was recognized as the Congress by the Election Commission in 1981. Under Rajiv Gandhi 's leadership, the party won a massive victory in the 1984 general elections , nevertheless losing the election held in 1989 to

700-573: A cable dated 3 August 2009 after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had hosted a lunch on 20 July 2009 for Gandhi, then the general secretary of the AICC. One of the guests who was invited for the lunch was the United States ambassador to India , Timothy J. Roemer . In a "candid conversation" with Roemer, he said that he believes Hindu extremists pose a greater threat to his country than Muslim militants. Gandhi referred specifically to more-polarising figures in

875-607: A car. The second was by a knife-wielding rickshaw-puller in Maharashtra in 1955. A third attempt happened in Bombay in 1956. The fourth was a failed bombing attempt on railway tracks in Maharashtra in 1961. Despite threats to his life, Nehru despised having excess security personnel around him and did not like his movements to disrupt traffic. K. Kamaraj became the president of the All India Congress Committee in 1963 during

1050-446: A clear mandate to the incumbent, Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. The 2009 general elections were a success for the INC, which won 206 seats. While the Congress did not win a majority in the election, they emerged as the largest party and formed a coalition government with the support of other parties. Gandhi retained his Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival by

1225-599: A consensus candidate could be picked. Following the election, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was chosen as the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi was chosen as the deputy leader in Lok Sabha, and Ravneet Singh Bittu was chosen as the party whip. Based on an analysis of the candidates' poll affidavits, a report by the National Election Watch (NEW) and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) says that,

1400-517: A decade. On social issues, it advocates secular policies that encourage equal opportunity , right to health , right to education , civil liberty , and support social market economy , and a strong welfare state . Being a centrist party, its policies predominantly reflected balanced positions including secularism , egalitarianism , and social stratification . The INC supports contemporary economic reforms such as liberalisation , privatisation and globalization . A total of 61 people have served as

1575-456: A degree of anti-incumbency sentiment. The 1996 general elections witnessed the emergence of a fractured mandate, leading to the absence of a clear majority for any single party. Congress was reduced to 140 seats in elections that year, its lowest number in the Lok Sabha yet. Rao later resigned as prime minister and, in September, as party president. He was succeeded as president by Sitaram Kesri ,

1750-454: A government the 2004 general elections . Subsequently, the UPA again formed the government after winning the 2009 general elections , and Singh became the first prime minister since Indira Gandhi in 1971 to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. However, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 general election , the Congress suffered a heavy defeat, winning only 44 seats of

1925-658: A greater share in government for educated Indians and to create a platform for civic and political dialogue between them and the British Raj . Hume initiated contact with prominent leaders in India and conducted the first session of the Indian National Congress at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay from 28 to 31 December 1885. A notice convening the first meeting of the Indian National Union to be held in Poona

SECTION 10

#1732837096940

2100-551: A handful of public occasions. Gandhi joined St. Stephen's College , Delhi, an affiliated college of the University of Delhi , in 1989 for his undergraduate education. Gandhi's academic performance in Class XII, with a score of 61 per cent in the CBSE school certificate , was perceived as not particularly strong. He gained admission to St. Stephen’s College for BA (Honors) History through

2275-497: A heart attack; but the circumstances of his death remain mysterious. After Shastri's death, Congress elected Indira Gandhi as leader over Morarji Desai . Once again, K. Kamaraj was instrumental in achieving this result. The differences among the top leadership of the Congress regarding the future of the party during resulted in the formation of several breakaway parties such as Orissa Jana Congress , Bangla Congress , Utkal Congress , and, Bharatiya Kranti Dal . In 1967, following

2450-455: A landslide defeat, which was the party's worst-ever national electoral performance with its vote share dipping below 20 per cent for the first time. Sonia Gandhi retired as party president in December 2017, having served for a record nineteen years. She was succeeded by her son Rahul Gandhi , who was elected unopposed in the 2017 INC presidential election. Rahul Gandhi resigned from his post after

2625-469: A margin of over 370,000 votes. Gandhi was credited with the Congress revival in Uttar Pradesh where they won 21 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats. Ahead of the 2014 Indian general election , Gandhi was named the vice president of the Indian National Congress, effectively making him the party’s second-in-command. Gandhi contested the 2014 Indian general election from his constituency, Amethi, and led

2800-635: A name or term commonly used to identify a person or thing in non-specialist language, in place of another usually more formal or technical name. In the philosophy of language , "colloquial language" is ordinary natural language , as distinct from specialized forms used in logic or other areas of philosophy. In the field of logical atomism , meaning is evaluated in a different way than with more formal propositions . Colloquialisms are distinct from slang or jargon . Slang refers to words used only by specific social groups, such as demographics based on region, age, or socio-economic identity. In contrast, jargon

2975-432: A new opposition party, popularly called Congress (I)—the "I" signifying Indira. During the next year, her new party attracted enough members of the legislature to become the official opposition. In November 1978, Gandhi regained a parliamentary seat. In January 1980, following a landslide victory for Congress (I), she was again elected prime minister. The national election commission declared Congress (I) to be

3150-524: A pair of bullocks carrying a yoke while Indira's breakaway faction was given a new symbol of a cow with a suckling calf by the Election Commission as the party election symbol. The Congress (O) eventually merged with other opposition parties to form the Janata Party . "India might be an ancient country but was a young democracy and as such should remain vigilant against the domination of few over

3325-490: A petition filed by then-BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking to summon Rahul and Sonia Gandhi and others as accused in the case. The court held that there was no prima facie evidence to suggest their involvement in any corruption conspiracy. In 2014, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated an investigation into Swamy's complaint to determine if there were any indications of money laundering . The investigation

3500-623: A poor performance in the 1967 Indian general election , Indira Gandhi started moving toward the political left. On 12 July 1969, Congress Parliamentary Board nominated Neelam Sanjiva Reddy as Congress's candidate for the post of President of India by a vote of four to two. K. Kamaraj , Morarji Desai and S. K. Patil voted for Reddy. Indira Gandhi and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed voted for V. V. Giri and Congress President S. Nijalingappa , Home Minister Yashwantrao Chavan and Agriculture Minister Jagjivan Ram abstained from voting. In mid-1969, she

3675-407: A result of prevailing nationalism, Gandhi's popularity, and the party's attempts at eradicating caste differences, untouchability , poverty, and religious and ethnic divisions, Congress became a forceful and dominant group. Although its members were predominantly Hindu, it had members from other religions, economic classes, and ethnic and linguistic groups. At the Congress 1929 Lahore session under

SECTION 20

#1732837096940

3850-492: A separate comment, stating that the news of the disqualification was "alarming". In the 2004 general election , Gandhi contested from Amethi and won, securing 390,179 votes with a vote share of 66.18 per cent. He contested again in the 2009 general election from Amethi , winning with 464,195 votes and a vote share of 71.78 per cent. In the 2014, 2014 general election , he retained his seat in Amethi, winning with 408,651 votes and

4025-591: A significant increase in membership, from 200,000 to 2.5 million. The IYC underwent a restructuring process to make it more democratic and inclusive. In November 2008, Gandhi held interviews at his 12 Tughlak Lane residence in New Delhi to handpick at least 40 people to make up the IYC's think tank . In 2009, during Gandhi's visit to West Bengal , the state unit of the Youth Congress registered 1 million members. Similarly,

4200-408: A split occurred between two factions within the Congress known as Surat Split . Annie Besant , an Irish theosophist, moved to India in 1893 and became actively involved in the Congress. Recognizing the importance of full cooperation from the extremists for the success of the movement, both Tilak and Besant realized that it was necessary to secure the full cooperation of the moderates. In 1915, during

4375-536: A stay on Gandhi's conviction and sentence, handed down by Chief Judicial Magistrate in Surat on 23 March 2023. The disqualification of Gandhi prompted widespread reactions and responses not only from the Congress party but also from opposition leaders and lawmakers abroad. Legal experts questioned the basis of the charge, as defamation is only actionable against individuals and not a generic class of people. The US House of Representatives , Ro Khanna , Democrat co-chair of

4550-607: A technology outsourcing firm based in Mumbai . Gandhi led the Congress party during the 2014 and 2019 general elections, where the party experienced significant defeats, securing only 44 and 52 seats, respectively. Ahead of the 2024 Indian general elections , Gandhi spearheaded the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra , contributing to the INC winning 99 seats and regaining the status of Official Opposition for

4725-591: A trustee of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust . He is a member of the Nehru–Gandhi political family . Born in New Delhi , Gandhi spent his early years between Delhi and Dehradun , remaining largely outside the public sphere during his childhood and early youth. He received primary education in New Delhi and then attended The Doon School . However, due to security concerns, he

4900-409: A uniter of the country and condemned "divisive" politics in India, saying that he would try to reduce caste and religious tensions. After being out of power for a record eight years, the Congress party returned to power, winning a total of 145 seats in the 2004 Indian general election. A coalition government was formed at the center by Congress with the backing of regional parties. Gandhi secured

5075-534: A victory by a substantial margin of over 100,000 votes, thereby maintaining the stronghold of his family in Uttar Pradesh. The party performed poorly in Uttar Pradesh, as it held only 10 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state, with a vote share of 12.53 per cent. Gandhi did not hold any official role or position within the government. From 2004 to 2006, Gandhi served as a member for the Standing Committee on Home Affairs . Between 2006 and 2009, he served as

5250-433: A vote share of 46.71 per cent. In the 2019 Indian general election , he lost from Amethi, securing 413,394 votes with a vote share of 43.86 per cent. He won from Wayanad in the same election, garnering 706,367 votes with a vote share of 64.67 per cent. In the 2024 general election , Gandhi contested from Wayanad and Rae Bareli and won both garnering 364,422 votes with a vote share of 59.69 per cent and 390,030 votes with

5425-662: A vote share of 66.17 per cent respectively. Top leadership of Congress decided that Gandhi will retain Rae Bareli in the 18th Lok Sabha and Priyanka Gandhi was announced as the Congress candidate for Wayanad bypoll. In 2004, the Gandhi was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs from 2004 to 2006, as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development from 2006 to 2009. In 2009, they were re-elected to

Indian National Congress - Misplaced Pages Continue

5600-400: Is colloquial . Colloquialism or general parlance is distinct from formal speech or formal writing . It is the form of language that speakers typically use when they are relaxed and not especially self-conscious. An expression is labeled colloq. for "colloquial" in dictionaries when a different expression is preferred in formal usage, but this does not mean that the colloquial expression

5775-520: Is a barrier to communication for those people unfamiliar with the respective field. Rahul Gandhi Rahul Rajiv Gandhi ( Hindi pronunciation: [ˈraːɦʊl raːdʒiːʋ ˈɡaːndʱiː] ; born 19 June 1970) is an Indian politician. A member of the Indian National Congress (INC), he is currently serving as the 12th Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and as the member of

5950-453: Is a fundamental failure of policy design and has alleged that it was a deliberate move by "PayPM" to help 2-3 billionaires to monopolise the economy. Terming demonetisation as the country's “biggest scam”, During his public speeches and political rallies, Gandhi has consistently criticised the demonetisation move, claiming that it failed to achieve its intended objectives of combating black money and curbing corruption. He has also argued that

6125-423: Is most commonly used within specific occupations, industries, activities, or areas of interest. Colloquial language includes slang, along with abbreviations, contractions, idioms, turns-of-phrase, and other informal words and phrases known to most native speakers of a language or dialect. Jargon is terminology that is explicitly defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. The term refers to

6300-549: Is necessarily slang or non-standard . Some colloquial language contains a great deal of slang, but some contains no slang at all. Slang is often used in colloquial speech, but this particular register is restricted to particular in-groups, and it is not a necessary element of colloquialism. Other examples of colloquial usage in English include contractions or profanity . "Colloquial" should also be distinguished from "non-standard". The difference between standard and non-standard

6475-400: Is not necessarily connected to the difference between formal and colloquial. Formal, colloquial, and vulgar language are more a matter of stylistic variation and diction , rather than of the standard and non-standard dichotomy. The term "colloquial" is also equated with "non-standard" at times, in certain contexts and terminological conventions. A colloquial name or familiar name is

6650-581: Is the great-grandson of India's inaugural prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru . Gandhi completed his elementary education at St. Columba's School in New Delhi. He then attended The Doon School in Dehradun (an elite all-boys' boarding school, also the alma mater of his father, Rajiv Gandhi ) from 1981 to 1983. At Doon, Gandhi's contemporaries were the former Congress, now- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politicians Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada . Following

6825-470: The 2019 election , due to the party's dismal electoral performance. The party only won 52 seats, eight more than the previous election. Its vote percentage once again fell below 20 per cent. Following Gandhi's resignation, party leaders began deliberations for a suitable candidate to replace him. The Congress Working Committee met on 10 August to make a final decision on the matter and passed a resolution asking Sonia Gandhi to take over as interim president until

7000-645: The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ; unlike the previous version, the Yatra was conducted in a hybrid mode. On 13 April 2019, during a political rally in Kolar, Karnataka before the 17th general election , Gandhi made a remark in Hindi, questioning, "Why is it that all thieves, whether it be Nirav Modi , Lalit Modi , or Narendra Modi , have Modi in their names?". A speech comparing Narendra Modi with Fugitive Economic Offenders such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi . A criminal defamation case

7175-622: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also responding to the ambassador's query about the activities in the region by the Islamist militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India's indigenous Muslim population. In a response to this, the BJP heavily criticised Gandhi for his statements. BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Gandhi, saying that his language

Indian National Congress - Misplaced Pages Continue

7350-545: The Centre . Gandhi used the slogan " Chowkidar Chor Hai " as a jibe against Narendra Modi, BJP's prime ministerial candidate during his election rallies. The slogan was aimed at Modi about the alleged irregularities and favouritism in awarding the contracts for the Rafale fighter jet deal . Post election results the INC won 52 seats, eight more than the previous election. Its vote percentage once again fell below 20 per cent. Gandhi won

7525-864: The Congress Socialist Party , the Krishak Praja Party , and the Swaraj Party , along with Subhas Chandra Bose , in 1939. After the failure of the Cripps Mission launched by the British government to gain Indian support for the British war effort, Mahatma Gandhi made a call to " Do or Die " in his Quit India movement delivered in Bombay on 8 August 1942 at the Gowalia Tank Maidan and opposed any help to

7700-532: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) held an election for the next president of the INC, to succeed Rahul Gandhi. The election was held on 17 October 2022 and counting took place on 19 October 2022. The candidates in the race were Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor and Karnataka MP Mallikarjun Kharge . Mallikarjun Kharge won the election in a landslide, securing 7,897 out of the 9,385 votes cast. His rival, Shashi Tharoor, secured 1,072 votes. Kharge would lead

7875-586: The Hindi Belt . Indira Gandhi, on the other side, wanted to use a populist agenda in order to mobilise popular support for the party. Her faction, called Congress (R), was supported by most of the Congress MPs while the original party had the support of only 65 MPs. In the All India Congress Committee, 446 of its 705 members walked over to Indira's side. The "Old Congress" retained the party symbol of

8050-533: The INA Defence Committee , which assembled a legal team to defend the case of the soldiers of the Azad Hind government. The team included several famous lawyers, including Bhulabhai Desai , Asaf Ali , and Jawaharlal Nehru. The British Empire eventually backtracked in the face of opposition by the Congress. After Indian independence in 1947, the Indian National Congress became the dominant political party in

8225-519: The Indian Army to enter the Golden Temple to establish control over the complex and remove Bhindranwale and his armed followers. This event is known as Operation Blue Star . On 31 October 1984, two of Gandhi's bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh , shot her with their service weapons in the garden of the prime minister's residence in response to her authorisation of Operation Blue Star. Gandhi

8400-704: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC), segment of the Congress party that represents the younger generation, and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the faction that caters to the student community. As the general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Gandhi played a notable role in shaping the policies and strategies of these organisations. After his appointment, both groups saw

8575-842: The Industries portfolio , was personally responsible for the dismantling of the Licence Raj , which came under the purview of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Rao accelerated the dismantling of the Licence Raj, reversing the socialist policies of previous governments. He employed Manmohan Singh as his finance minister to begin historic economic changes. With Rao's mandate, Singh launched reforms for India's globalisation that involved implementing International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies to prevent India's impending economic collapse . Future prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh continued

8750-460: The Lok Sabha for Rae Bareli , Uttar Pradesh , since June 2024. He previously represented the constituency of Wayanad , Kerala , from 2019 to 2024, and Amethi , Uttar Pradesh , from 2004 to 2019. Gandhi served as the party president of the Indian National Congress from December 2017 to July 2019 and is the chairperson of the Indian Youth Congress , the National Students Union of India , and

8925-596: The Madras Mahajana Sabha . The majority of the founding members of Congress has been educated or lived in Britain. As a result, unrepresentative of the Indian masses at the time, it functioned more as a stage for elite Indian ambitions than a political party for the first two decade of its existence. Since its establishment, the Congress was led by Moderate leaders, who were influenced by Western political ideas, particularly liberalism . They emphasized individual dignity,

SECTION 50

#1732837096940

9100-637: The Minister of Home Affairs . As Prime Minister , Shastri continued Nehru's policy of non-alignment , but built closer relations with the Soviet Union . In the aftermath of the Sino-Indian War of 1962, and the formation of military ties between China and Pakistan, Shastri's government expanded the defence budget of India's armed forces. He also promoted the White Revolution—a national campaign to increase

9275-542: The Modi government 's demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series . He has called it a "tragedy" and a "disaster" that has negatively impacted the Indian economy and the lives of ordinary citizens. Gandhi has also accused the government of carrying out the policy without adequate planning and causing immense hardship to the poor and vulnerable sections of society. He said that demonetisation

9450-669: The National Front . The Congress then returned to power under P. V. Narasimha Rao , who moved the party towards an economically liberal agenda , a sharp break from previous leaders. However, it lost the 1996 general election and was replaced in government by the National Front. After a record eight years out of office, the Congress-led coalition known as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) under Manmohan Singh formed

9625-472: The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), positions he established and currently holds. His tenure as vice-president of the INC, established in 2013, lasted until 2016, after which the position was abolished. Subsequently, from 2017 to 2019, Gandhi served as the president of the INC , succeeding Sonia Gandhi . In December 2010, during the United States diplomatic cables leak , WikiLeaks leaked

9800-749: The RSS and has compared them to terrorist organisations like SIMI . After the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots at a Madhya Pradesh election rally in Indore, Gandhi claimed that a police officer told him that Pakistan's military intelligence service, ISI , was trying to recruit disgruntled riot-affected youngsters. The district administration, Uttar Pradesh state government, Union Home Ministry, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) denied any such development. This remark drew heavy criticism from various political outfits such as BJP, SP, CPI and JD(U). Congress's Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi needed to apologise to

9975-516: The Right to Information Act , and a right to education act. The NAC, as well as the Left Front that supported the government from the outside, were widely seen as being the driving force behind such legislation. The Left Front withdrew its support of the government over disagreements about the U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement . Despite the effective loss of 62 seats in parliament, the government survived

10150-558: The Supreme Court . In response to increasing disorder and lawlessness, Gandhi's ministry recommended that President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declare a State of Emergency , based on the provisions of Article 352 of the Constitution . During the nineteen-month emergency , widespread oppression and abuse of power by Gandhi's unelected younger son and political heir Sanjay Gandhi and his close associates occurred. Implemented on 25 June 1975,

10325-448: The assassination of Indira Gandhi by Sikhs in her personal guard on 31 October 1984, his father entered politics and became the 6th prime minister of India. Due to security threats from Sikh extremists , Gandhi and his sister Priyanka were home-schooled , taking examinations under the supervision of teachers. Spending their childhood away from media attention, Gandhi and his sister kept low profiles, appearing with their parents at only

10500-448: The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by the LTTE during an election rally, Gandhi left St. Stephen’s and moved to Harvard University . Due to security concerns, he subsequently relocated to Rollins College in Florida . He further went on to obtain an Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Development Studies , from Trinity College , Cambridge in 1995. Following his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991, there

10675-616: The environmental degradation of the world and has said that unless environmental problems are made a political issue, they will not get the attention they deserve. Gandhi criticised the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 draft by calling it "dangerous" and said that its long term consequences will be harmful. Calling it a disaster, he said that it will silence the communities who will be directly impacted by environmental degradation. Gandhi while addressing All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Jaipur , called for an end to red tape and outdated laws that slow job creation. Gandhi views

SECTION 60

#1732837096940

10850-416: The right to freedom , and equality for all, regardless of caste, creed, or sex. This philosophy guided them in opposing British autocracy, demanding the rule of law, equality before the law, and advocating for secularism . However, by 1905, two factions had emerged within the party, leading to different approaches and ideologies regarding the methods to achieve self-rule for India. A division arose between

11025-446: The 15th Lok Sabha for a second term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development, along with being a member of the Consultative Committee on Rural Development. In 2014, Gandhi was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha for a third term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on External Affairs , as well as a member of the Consultative Committee on Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs. In 2019, he

11200-411: The 1969 nationalisation of India's 14 largest banks. The 1969 attempt by Indira Gandhi government to abolish privy purse and the official recognition of the titles did not meet with success. The constitutional Amendment bill to this effect was passed in Lok Sabha, but it failed to get the required two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha. However, in 1971, with the passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment to

11375-434: The 1990s, the Bharatiya Janata Party has emerged as the main rival of the Congress in both national and regional politics. In 1969, the party suffered a major split, with a faction led by Indira Gandhi leaving to form the Congress (R) , with the remainder becoming the Congress (O) . The Congress (R) became the dominant faction, winning the 1971 general election by a huge margin. From 1975 to 1977, Indira Gandhi declared

11550-499: The 262 seats won in 2009. Following the defeat, Gandhi offered to resign from his positions, but his resignation was rejected by the Congress Working Committee. Gandhi led the 2019 election campaign of the Congress party. During campaign, Gandhi announced "Nyay" (Nyuntam Aay Yojana— Minimum Income Gurantee) Scheme promising Rs 6,000 each to 20 per cent poorest households to his election speeches. Gandhi also promised to fill 22 lakhs government jobs within one year coming to power at

11725-435: The 403 seats with 8.53 per cent of the vote. On 24 September 2007, Gandhi was appointed as the general secretary of the All India Congress Committee , the governing body of the Congress party, as part of a reshuffle of the party secretariat. In the same reshuffle, he was also given charge of the Indian Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India . In September 2007, Gandhi was appointed as general secretary of

11900-402: The 543-member Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament of India ). In the 2019 general election , the party failed to make any substantial gains and won 52 seats, failing to form the official opposition yet again. In the 2024 general election , the party performed better-than-expected, and won 99 seats later becoming 101, forming the official opposition with their highest seat count in

12075-495: The British and focused on building mass support instilling in them a sense of self -respect, self-reliance, pride in their ancient heritage and national unity to attain their objectives. The Extremist leaders opposed the use of violence against British rule and did not condone methods such as political murder and assassination. They successfully engaged the urban middle and lower classes, as well as mobilized peasants and workers. The Extremist leaders utilized religious symbols to inspire

12250-417: The British in World War II . The British government responded with mass arrests including that of Gandhi and Congress leaders and killed over 1,000 Indians who participated in this movement. A number of violent attacks were also carried out by the nationalists against the British government. The movement played a role in weakening the control over the South Asian region by the British regime and ultimately paved

12425-434: The Congress has highest political defection rate since 2014. According to the report, a total of 222 electoral candidates had left the Congress to join other parties during elections held between 2014 and 2021, as 177 MPs and MLAs quit the party. The defections resulted in a loss of the party's established governments in Arunachal Pradesh , Madhya Pradesh , Goa , Karnataka , Puducherry , and Manipur . On 28 August 2022,

12600-461: The Constitution of India, the privy purses were abolished. Due to Sino-Indian War 1962, India faced a huge budgetary deficit resulting in its treasury being almost empty, high inflation, and dwindling forex reserves. The brief War of 1962 exposed weaknesses in the economy and shifted the focus towards the defence industry and the Indian Army . The government found itself short of resources to fund

12775-604: The Emergency officially ended on 21 March 1977. All political prisoners were released and fresh elections for the Lok Sabha were called. In parliamentary elections held in March, the Janata alliance of anti-Indira opposition parties won a landslide victory over Congress, winning 295 seats in the Lok Sabha against Congress' 153. Gandhi lost her seat to her Janata opponent Raj Narain . On 2 January 1978, Indira and her followers seceded and formed

12950-500: The IYC only acquired around 10 to 15 new members per day in each assembly segment of Uttar Pradesh. After his visit, the number surged to 150 to 200 new members per day in the same regions. While serving as the general secretary of the NSUI, Gandhi played an active role in strengthening the organisation and increasing student participation in politics. Under his leadership, the NSUI initiated programs and campaigns to address issues affecting

13125-456: The India Caucus, described the removal of Gandhi from parliament as a "deep betrayal" of India’s "deepest values". A spokesperson for Germany's foreign ministry stated that Berlin had "acknowledged" the verdict and was monitoring the subsequent steps, including the possibility of an appeal and whether the "suspension of his mandate" was deemed justified. US Senator Chris Van Hollen made

13300-766: The Indian National Congress to support their proposal to set up Home Rule leagues. As a result, they established separate leagues. Tilak launched the Indian Home Rule League in April 1916 at Belgaum , with its headquarters in Poona . His league operated primarily in Maharashtra (excluding Bombay), Karnataka , and the Central Provinces and Berar . In contrast, Besant set up her All-India Home Rule League in September 1916 in Madras , which grew to include over 200 branches across

13475-459: The Indian troops he sent to Sri Lanka in 1987 to help enforce a peace accord there had fought with Tamil Militant guerrillas. The mid-1990s marked a period of political flux in India, with frequent changes in government and coalition dynamics. Rajiv Gandhi was succeeded as party leader by P. V. Narasimha Rao , who was elected prime minister in June 1991. His rise to the prime ministership

13650-623: The Lok Sabha. The INC again returned to power in the 1980 Indian general election securing a 42.7 per cent vote share of all votes, winning 353 seats. INC's vote share kept increasing till 1980 and then to a record high of 48.1 per cent by 1984/85. Rajiv Gandhi on assuming the post of prime minister in October 1984 recommended early elections . The general elections were to be held in January 1985; instead, they were held in December 1984. The Congress won an overwhelming majority, securing 415 seats out of 533,

13825-637: The Moderates, led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale , who believed in a peaceful and constitutional approach to achieve reforms and self-governance within the framework of the British Empire. The moderates preferred to avoid direct conflict with the Britishers, aiming instead to reform their governance to better serve the country's interests. They aimed to collaborate with British authorities and use constitutional means, such as petitions, resolutions, and dialogue, to address

14000-538: The Modi Government has been very favourable. He sees the rise of Adani as a direct consequence of crony capitalism. He said that he is not anti-business and supports fairness. Disagreeing with privatisation of PSUs , he said that Congress will not allow the privatisation if it comes to power. Citing the report on inequality by Oxfam , he said that rising economic inequality is the result of Modi Government's economic policies. Gandhi has been very critical of

14175-965: The Muslim community for this remark. In reply to the ECI's show-cause notice to explain why action should not be initiated against him for violating the Model Code of Conduct, Gandhi said that he didn't intend to exploit communal sentiments but was referring to divisive politics. On 19 April 2015 Gandhi addressed the farmer and worker's rally, named as Kisan Khet Mazdoor Rally in Ramlila Maidan . Here he made "references to his agitations in Niyamgiri in Orissa and Bhatta-Parsaul in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh ". The rally

14350-500: The National Herald. The allegations by then-BJP leader Subramanian Swamy centered on a loan given by the Congress party to "Associated Journals Limited" (AJL), the company that owned the National Herald newspaper. Subramanian Swamy alleged that the loan, amounting to around ₹ 90 crore (equivalent to ₹ 202 crore or US$ 24 million in 2023), was not repaid. Instead, it was converted into equity, effectively transferring

14525-646: The Prime Minister. Kamaraj was widely credited as the "kingmaker" in for ensuring the victory of Lal Bahadur Shastri over Morarji Desai. As prime minister, Shastri retained most of members of Nehru's Council of Ministers ; T. T. Krishnamachari was retained as Finance Minister of India , as was Defence Minister Yashwantrao Chavan . Shastri appointed Swaran Singh to succeed him as External Affairs Minister . Shastri appointed Indira Gandhi , Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter and former party president, Minister of Information and Broadcasting . Gulzarilal Nanda continued as

14700-530: The Supreme Court of India revoked Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code , an act which criminalised homosexual sex between adults. Gandhi supported this move, stating that he believed that issues related to personal freedom should be left to the individual. He opined that it's essential to uphold the constitutional guarantee of life and liberty to all citizens of India. Gandhi has been very concerned about

14875-514: The Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar . The yatra saw Gandhi along with INC leaders, including members of Parliament and notable personalities, travelling across the country, addressing rallies, conducting public meetings, and interacting with citizens. Throughout the yatra, Gandhi focused on issues such as economic development , social justice , and inclusive governance, aiming to strengthen the party's grassroots presence and reinvigorate its political relevance on

15050-490: The Third Plan (1961–1966). Subhadra Joshi a senior party member, proposed a non-official resolution asking for the nationalisation of private banks stating that nationalisation would help in mobilising resources for development. In July 1969, Indira Gandhi through the ordinance nationalised fourteen major private banks. After being re-elected in 1971 on a campaign that endorsed nationalisation, Indira Gandhi went on to nationalise

15225-670: The United Progressive Alliance. During this period the Congress remained centre-left in its social policies while steadily shifting from a socialist to a neoliberal economic outlook. The Party's rivals at state level have been national parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM), and various regional parties, such as the Telugu Desam Party , Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party . A post- partition successor to

15400-531: The Wayanad seat with over 60 per cent vote share. He lost his existing seat of Amethi to Smriti Irani of the BJP by a margin of 55,120 votes. Ahead of the 2024 Indian general elections , Gandhi spearheaded political initiatives, including the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra , which were designed to address pressing social and economic issues facing the country. These campaigns aimed to foster unity and counter divisive politics, while also enhancing

15575-535: The annexation of Burma , the military actions in Afghanistan , and the treatment of tribal people in northwestern India . Additionally, they called for better conditions for Indian workers who had migrated to countries such as South Africa , Malaya , Mauritius , the West Indies , and British Guyana . Congress was transformed into a mass movement by Surendranath Banerjee during the partition of Bengal in 1905 , and

15750-507: The annual session of the Congress held at Lucknow under the presidency of Ambica Charan Mazumdar , it was decided that the extremists led by Tilak would be admitted to the Congress. Inspired by the Irish Home Rule movement , which sought greater autonomy from Britain, Tilak and Besant were influenced by the concept of self-government (Home Rule) and began calling for similar rights for India. However, Tilak and Besant were unable to convince

15925-474: The coal, steel, copper, refining, cotton textiles and insurance industries. The main reason was to protect employment and the interest of the organised labour. On 12 June 1975, the High Court of Allahabad declared Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok Sabha , the lower house of India's parliament, void on the grounds of electoral malpractice. However, Gandhi rejected calls to resign and announced plans to appeal to

16100-516: The country, and growing discontent over a series of corruption allegations involving government officials, including the 2G spectrum case and the Indian coal allocation scam , as well as the ineptness towards national security, particularly the insensitivity in the aftermath of the 2011 Mumbai bombings . The Congress won only 44 seats in the Lok Sabha , compared to the 336 of the BJP and the NDA. The UPA suffered

16275-660: The country. In 1876, they founded the New English School in Pune . However, Tilak soon realized that education alone was not sufficient; the people also needed to be aware of the country's condition. To achieve this, he started two weekly publications in 1881: the Maratha in English and Kesari in Marathi. The ideological differences between the extremists and moderates led to a deep divide. During its session held in Surat in December 1907,

16450-432: The country. In 1952, in the first general election held after Independence, the party swept to power in the national parliament and most state legislatures. It held power nationally until 1977 when it was defeated by the Janata coalition. It returned to power in 1980 and ruled until 1989 when it was once again defeated. The party formed the government in 1991 at the head of a coalition, as well as in 2004 and 2009 when it led

16625-597: The country. Prominent leaders who joined or supported the Home Rule movement included Motilal Nehru , Bhulabhai Desai , Jawaharlal Nehru , Chittaranjan Das , Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi , Saifuddin Kitchlew , Madan Mohan Malviya , Mohammad Ali Jinnah , Tej Bahadur Sapru , and Lala Lajpat Rai . In 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa and joined Congress. His efforts in South Africa were well known not only among

16800-520: The court that he did not intend to defame any community. On 23 March 2023, Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years' imprisonment under charges of defamation. The day following the conviction, Utpal Kumar Singh , the Lok Sabha Secretary General , announced that Rahul Gandhi would be disqualified as a member of parliament representing the Wayanad constituency, effective from 23 March,

16975-510: The date of his conviction. The Secretary General further said that this action was taken under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA), which deals with the disqualification of convicted representatives in India. Gandhi's lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi appealed at the higher court and secured a one-month stay on the sentence. On 5 August, the Supreme Court of India issued

17150-585: The day of the Modi government's first anniversary, Gandhi commented at a rally in Kozhikode " Unfortunately, birthday celebrations is only for a few powerful friends of the government. Kisan, farmers and mazdoor have nothing to celebrate. " "India will be truly successful only when women occupy equal space in our society. They must take their rightful place in politics and shape India's destiny." Gandhi's remarks on Women empowerment. Gandhi has spoken publicly about

17325-511: The delegates from the districts and PCCs form the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The party is additionally structured into various committees and segments including the Working Committee (CWC), Seva Dal , Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), and National Students' Union of India (NSUI). The party holds the annual plenary sessions, at which senior Congress figures promote party policy. During

17500-432: The directors of the firm. Subsequently, he founded BackOps UK, a company that secured defence contracts from foreign suppliers. In March 2004, Gandhi announced his entry into politics by declaring that he would contest the 14th general elections from his father's former constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha , India's lower house of parliament. His mother had held the seat until she transferred to

17675-431: The economic policies of Modi Government as fundamentally to benefit the 2-3 billionaires and has described them as crony capitalists . Calling the "crony capitalists" as best friends of Modi, he has been critical of the privatisation of government assets. He is of the view that RSS and crony capitalists are colluding to control India. He has been specifically harsh on Indian billionaire Gautam Adani , to whom he said

17850-455: The economic reform policies begun by Rao's government. He is often called the "Father of Indian economic reforms". Rao was also referred to as Chanakya for his ability to push tough economic and political legislation through the parliament while heading a minority government. By 1996, party found itself in a complex political landscape. It faced internal challenges, including factionalism and leadership struggles, allegations of corruption, and

18025-494: The educated but also among the masses. During 1917 and 1918, Mahatma Gandhi was involved in three struggles– known as Champaran Satyagraha , Ahmedabad Mill Strike and Kheda Satyagraha . After World War I , the party came to be associated with Gandhi, who remained its unofficial spiritual leader and icon. He formed an alliance with the Khilafat Movement in 1920 as part of his opposition to British rule in India, and fought for

18200-399: The election campaign of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi retained the Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival, BJP's Smriti Irani , by a margin of 107,000 votes. However, the Congress party suffered a massive defeat, winning only 44 seats—its worst performance ever in the Lok Sabha elections. The UPA also had its worst-ever performance in elections and won only 59 seats, compared to

18375-492: The first majority the party had won won by itself since 2018. In the subsequent elections in Karnataka and Telangana in 2023, the Congress party achieved a landslide victory, marked by an increase in both the party's vote share and the number of seats compared to the previous elections in the constituencies through which the march had passed. From 14 January to 20 March 2024, Gandhi led a second yatra across India from east to west,

18550-474: The first time in a decade. Gandhi won the Rae Bareli in the 2024 elections and was nominated to serve as Leader of the Opposition. In Parliament, Gandhi has served as a member of several parliamentary committees including Home Affairs , Human Resource Development , External Affairs , Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs and Defence . Gandhi was born on 19 June 1970 at Holy Family Hospital in Delhi . He

18725-489: The following December, was issued. However, due to a cholera outbreak there it was moved to Bombay. In its first two decades of formation, Congress was an assembly for politically minded individuals interested in various reforms, but it did not express desires for independence from the British Empire. Hume organized the first meeting in Bombay with the approval of the Viceroy Lord Dufferin . Umesh Chandra Banerjee

18900-503: The government as a "suit-boot government", a reference to Modi's monogrammed suit which he wore in the Republic Day meeting with Barack Obama . Moreover, he used the "acche din government" jibe (which was Modi's election campaign slogan meaning "good days government") and mentioned that it had "failed the country". A land bill was introduced by the BJP government in the parliament in May which

19075-419: The grievances of Indians. Over time, as they recognized the impact of British rule, many moderate leaders shifted their stance and started advocating for Swaraj or self-government for India within the British Empire. Herfeafter, the Moderates followed a two-fold approach to achieve their goals. First, they aimed to build strong public opinion to inspire a sense of national consciousness and unity, while educating

19250-506: The importance of women's empowerment and gender equality in India. While inaugurating 'Utsaah', a Kerala Mahila Congress convention in Kochi, Gandhi stated that the Congress party would actively promote women within its organizational structure and set a target to have 50 per cent of women as chief ministers within the next 10 years. Gandhi initiated the Self-Help Groups amongthe women in

19425-419: The language used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest. Similar to slang, it is shorthand used to express ideas, people, and things that are frequently discussed between members of a group. Unlike slang, it is often developed deliberately. While a standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage amongst practitioners of relevant disciplines, it is often reported that jargon

19600-473: The largest ever majority in independent India's Lok Sabha elections history. This winning recorded a vote share of 49.1 per cent resulting in an overall increase to 48.1 per cent. The party got 32.14 per cent of voters in polls held in Punjab and Assam in 1985. Colloquially A specific instance of such language is termed a colloquialism. The most common term used in dictionaries to label such an expression

19775-692: The last year of Nehru's life. Prior to that, he had been the chief minister of Madras state for nine years. Kamaraj had also been a member of "the syndicate", a group of right wing leaders within Congress. In 1963 the Congress lost popularity following the defeat in the Indo-Chinese war of 1962. To revitalise the party, Kamaraj proposed the Kamaraj Plan to Nehru that encouraged six Congress chief ministers (including himself) and six senior cabinet ministers to resign to take up party work. In 1964, Nehru died because of an aortic dissection , raising questions about

19950-403: The latter part of the 1870s, there were concerted efforts among Indians to establish a pan-Indian organization for nationalist political influence. In 1883, Allan Octavian Hume , a retired British Civil Servant also known for his pro-Indian activities, outlined his idea for a body representing Indian interests in an open letter to graduates of the University of Calcutta . The aim was to obtain

20125-405: The leader of the party. In the 17 general elections since independence, it has won an outright majority on seven occasions and has led the ruling coalition a further three times, heading the central government for more than 54 years. There have been six prime ministers from the Congress party, the first being Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964), and the most recent being Manmohan Singh (2004–2014). Since

20300-603: The leadership of Mahatma Gandhi , the Congress became the principal leader of the Indian independence movement . The Congress led India to independence from the United Kingdom , and significantly influenced other anti-colonial nationalist movements in the British Empire. The INC is a " big tent " party that has been described as sitting on the centre of the Indian political spectrum. The party held its first session in 1885 in Bombay where W.C. Bonnerjee presided over it. After Indian independence in 1947, Congress emerged as

20475-549: The loan given to AJL was illegal, as it had been taken from party funds. The case went through various legal proceedings, including hearings in lower courts and the Delhi High Court. In December 2015, the Delhi High Court dismissed the appeals of Sonia Gandhi and five others, ordering them to appear in person before the trial court. In 2015, the Supreme Court of India instructed Swamy to present arguments for expediting

20650-509: The masses on shared political issues. Second, they sought to influence both the British government and public opinion, advocating for reforms in India that aligned with the demands of the nationalists. In 1889, a British branch of the Indian National Congress was set up in London . Dadabhai Naoroji , a member of the sister Indian National Association , was elected president of the Congress in 1886. He

20825-408: The masses, but they did not intertwine religion with politics. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, tried to mobilise Hindu Indians by appealing to an explicitly Hindu political identity displayed in the annual public Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav and Shiv Jayanti festivals that he inaugurated in western India. Tilak, along with his friend Gopal Ganesh Agarkar , believed that educating the people was the best way to serve

21000-417: The member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development . Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka, managed their mother's campaign for re-election to Raebareilly in 2006, which was won with a margin of over 400,000 votes. He was a prominent figure in the Congress campaign for the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election ; Congress did not perform well in those elections, winning only 22 seats of

21175-594: The modern Congress Party. The policy of non-alignment during the Cold War meant Nehru received financial and technical support from both the Eastern and Western Blocs to build India's industrial base from nothing. During his period in office, there were four known assassination attempts on Nehru. The first attempt on his life was during partition in 1947 while he was visiting the North-West Frontier Province in

21350-405: The national stage. The yatra concluded on 29 January 2023 with the unfurling of the tricolour flag at Lal Chowk , Srinagar ; it lasted 137 days, covering 4,080 kilometres (2,540 miles) over nearly five months across 12 states and two union territories. During the yatra, the INC elected a new party president and also won a majority in the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election ,

21525-638: The nationalisation of private banks. In the mid-term 1971 Indian general election , the Gandhi-led Congress ;(R) won a landslide victory on a platform of progressive policies such as the elimination of poverty ( Garibi Hatao ). The policies of the Congress ;(R) under Gandhi before the 1971 elections included proposals to abolish the Privy Purse to former rulers of the Princely states , and

21700-494: The neighbouring constituency of Raebareli . When Gandhi made this announcement, it came as a surprise to political commentators, who had perceived his sister Priyanka Gandhi as the more charismatic and probable successor. It generated speculation that the presence of a young member of India's most famous political family would reinvigorate the Congress party's political fortunes among India's youthful population. In his first interview with foreign media, Gandhi portrayed himself as

21875-522: The notion that British rule was beneficial for India, shaping a nationwide public opinion that British colonialism was the primary reason for India’s poverty and economic exploitation. The moderate leaders had several demands, including proper representation of Indians on the Legislative Councils and an increase in the powers of these councils. They also advocated for administrative reforms and voiced their opinions on international issues. They opposed

22050-422: The ownership of AJL to a new company called "Young India Ltd" (YIL), in which Sonia Gandhi hold 76 per cent of the company's shares, and the remaining 24 per cent are held by Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes. As per Swamy, YIL only paid ₹ 54 lakh (equivalent to ₹ 1.2 crore or US$ 150,000 in 2023) to get back ₹90 crore that Associated AJL owed to the Congress party. He also alleged that

22225-572: The parliament. His administration took measures to reform the government bureaucracy and liberalise the country's economy. Rajiv Gandhi's attempts to discourage separatist movements in Punjab and Kashmir backfired. After his government became embroiled in several financial scandals, his leadership became increasingly ineffectual. Gandhi was regarded as a non-abrasive person who consulted other party members and refrained from hasty decisions. The Bofors scandal damaged his reputation as an honest politician, but he

22400-444: The party for indiscipline. Subsequently, Gandhi launched her own faction of the INC which came to be known as Congress (R). The original party then came to be known as Indian National Congress (O) . Its principal leaders were Kamraj, Morarji Desai, Nijalingappa and S. K. Patil who stood for a more right-wing agenda. The split occurred when a united opposition under the banner of Samyukt Vidhayak Dal , won control over several states in

22575-494: The party into the 2024 Indian general election , where the party made significant gains in Uttar Pradesh and other states, securing 99 seats — enough to elect Rahul Gandhi as leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The election was the best result for the party since 2009. The party was the principal opposition party within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which

22750-672: The party survived as the Pakistan National Congress , a party which represented the rights of religious minorities in the state. The party's support was strongest in the Bengali-speaking province of East Pakistan . After the Bangladeshi War of Independence, it became known as the Bangladeshi National Congress , but was dissolved in 1975 by the government. From 1951 until his death in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru

22925-564: The party's 1998 Pachmarhi resolution of ekla chalo (go it alone) policy, and formed alliances with other like-minded parties. In the intervening years, the party was successful at various legislative assembly elections; at one point, Congress ruled 15 states. For the 2004 general election , Congress forged alliances with regional parties including the NCP and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . The party's campaign emphasised social inclusion and

23100-472: The party's first non- Brahmin leader. During the tenure of both Rao and Kesri, the two leaders conducted internal elections to the Congress working committees and their own posts as party presidents. The 1998 general elections saw Congress win 141 seats in the Lok Sabha, its lowest tally until then. To boost its popularity and improve its performance in the forthcoming election, Congress leaders urged Sonia Gandhi , Rajiv Gandhi's widow, to assume leadership of

23275-426: The party's future. Following the death of Nehru, Gulzarilal Nanda was appointed as the interim prime minister on 27 May 1964, pending the election of a new parliamentary leader of the Congress party who would then become prime minister. During the leadership contest to succeed Nehru, the preference was between Morarji Desai and Lal Bahadur Shashtri. Eventually, Shashtri was selected as the next parliamentary leader thus

23450-401: The party's vision and agenda for the country. He specifically focused on issues such as rural development, education, employment, and women's empowerment. Gandhi, also emphasised the importance of youth participation in politics and urged them to be more involved in shaping the country's future. The nationwide elections defied the predictions made by pre-poll predictions and exit polls and gave

23625-484: The party. She had previously declined offers to become actively involved in party affairs and had stayed away from politics. After her election as party leader, a section of the party that objected to the choice because of her Italian ethnicity broke away and formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar . Sonia Gandhi struggled to revive the party in her early years as its president; she

23800-479: The presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, Purna Swaraj (complete independence) was declared as the party's goal, declaring 26 January 1930 as Purna Swaraj Diwas (Independence Day). The same year, Srinivas Iyenger was expelled from the party for demanding full independence, not just home rule as demanded by Gandhi. After the passage of the Government of India Act 1935 , provincial elections were held in India in

23975-432: The president of the INC since its formation. Sonia Gandhi is the longest-serving president of the party, having held office for over twenty years from 1998 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2022 (as interim). Mallikarjun Kharge is the current party President . The district party is the smallest functional unit of Congress. There is also a Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), present at the state level in every state. Together,

24150-713: The production and supply of milk by creating the National Dairy Development Board . The Madras anti-Hindi agitation of 1965 occurred during Shastri's tenure. Shastri became a national hero following victory in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 . His slogan, " Jai Jawan Jai Kisan " ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer"), became very popular during the war. On 11 January 1966, a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration , Shastri died in Tashkent, reportedly of

24325-589: The real Indian National Congress for the 1984 general election . However, the designation I was dropped only in 1996. Gandhi's premiership witnessed increasing turmoil in Punjab , with demands for Sikh autonomy by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militant followers. In 1983, Bhindranwale with his armed followers headquartered themselves in the Golden Temple in Amritsar and started accumulating weapons. In June 1984, after several futile negotiations, Gandhi ordered

24500-497: The resultant Swadeshi movement . On the other hand, the faction led by extremist or radical leaders, including Bal Gangadhar Tilak , Bipin Chandra Pal , and Lala Lajpat Rai , colloquially, "Lal, Bal, Pal", was more radical in their approach. They believed in direct action and criticized the moderate approach, advocating for more assertive and aggressive means to achieve self-rule ( Swaraj ). They were less willing to compromise with

24675-639: The rights for Indians using civil disobedience or Satyagraha as the tool for agitation. In 1922, after the deaths of policemen at Chauri Chaura , Gandhi suspended the agitation. With the help of the moderate group led by Gokhale, in 1924 Gandhi became president of Congress. The rise of Gandhi's popularity and his satyagraha art of revolution led to support from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru , Rajendra Prasad , Khan Mohammad Abbas Khan , Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan , Chakravarti Rajgopalachari , Anugrah Narayan Sinha , Jayaprakash Narayan , Jivatram Kripalani , and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad . As

24850-410: The social, economic or political systems. Banks should be publicly owned so that they catered to not just large industries and big businesses but also agriculturists, small industries and entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the private banks had been functioning erratically with hundreds of them failing and causing loss to the depositors who were given no guarantee against such loss." —Gandhi's remarks after

25025-535: The sports quota, which granted a 10 per cent advantage in exam scores to promising athletes; per National Rifle Association of India testimonials, Gandhi stood 4th in the 32nd National Shooting Competition held in New Delhi from 26 December 1988 to 5 January 1989. Gandhi had finished fourth in the Centre Fire Pistol 25 M (Indian Rule) Men’s civilian event with a score of 371 out of 400 points. By July 1989, Gandhi had won eight national awards. In 1991, following

25200-472: The student community, such as the quality of education, employment opportunities, and social justice. Gandhi also advocated for greater student representation in decision-making processes and supported student leaders in their endeavours. For the 2009 Indian general election , Gandhi campaigned across India covering 22 states and 107 constituencies . His campaigning included addressing public rallies and meetings, interacting with voters, and highlighting

25375-522: The subsequent support of the communist front, Congress won a majority and formed a new government. Despite massive support from within the party, Gandhi declined the post of prime minister, choosing to appoint Manmohan Singh instead. She remained as party president and headed the National Advisory Council (NAC). During its first term in office, the UPA government passed several social reform bills. These included an employment guarantee bill,

25550-519: The trial in the high court. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were granted bail by the trial court on 19 December 2015. Subsequently, in 2016, the Supreme Court exempted all five accused individuals (including the Gandhis, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, and Suman Dubey) from personally attending court hearings but declined to dismiss the ongoing legal proceedings against them. In December 2020, the Delhi court dismissed

25725-487: The trust vote that followed. In the Lok Sabha elections held soon after , Congress won 207 seats, the highest tally of any party since 1991. The UPA won 262, enabling it to form a government for the second time. The social welfare policies of the first UPA government, and the perceived divisiveness of the BJP, are broadly credited with the victory. By the 2014 election , the party had lost much of its popular support, mainly due to several years of poor economic conditions in

25900-442: The villages of Amethi . The primary focus of this scheme was to bring women together and empower them with information and decision making capabilities. He has called for increased representation of women in politics and for the eradication of gender-based violence. Under the second Manmohan Singh ministry , a Women's Reservation Bill to require that a third of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats be reserved for women

26075-416: The visibility of the Indian National Congress (INC) among voters. The INC secured 99 seats in the elections, representing an improvement from previous electoral performances and allowing the party to reclaim the status of Official Opposition for the first time in ten years. In the elections, Gandhi successfully won the Rae Bareli constituency, succeeding his mother, Sonia Gandhi . Following this victory, he

26250-419: The way for Indian independence. In 1945, when World War 2 almost came to an end, the Labour Party of the United Kingdom won elections with a promise to provide independence to India. The jailed political prisoners of the Quit India movement were released in the same year. In 1946, the British tried the soldiers of Japanese-sponsored Indian National Army in the INA trials . In response, Congress helped form

26425-410: The welfare of the common masses—an ideology that Gandhi herself endorsed for Congress during her presidency—with slogans such as Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath ("Congress hand in hand with the common man"), contrasting with the NDA's " India Shining " campaign. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 222 seats in the new parliament, defeating the NDA by a substantial margin. With

26600-559: The winter of 1936–37 in eleven provinces: Madras , Central Provinces , Bihar, Orissa, United Provinces , Bombay Presidency , Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab, and Sindh. The final results of the elections were declared in February 1937. The Indian National Congress gained power in eight of them – the three exceptions being Bengal, Punjab , and Sindh. The All-India Muslim League failed to form a Government in any Province. Congress Ministers resigned in October and November 1939 in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow 's declaration that India

26775-422: Was a belligerent in World War II without consulting the Indian people . In 1939, Subhas Chandra Bose , the elected President of India in both 1938 and 1939, resigned from Congress over the selection of the working committee. Congress was an umbrella organisation, sheltering radical socialists, traditionalists, and Hindu and Muslim conservatives . Mahatma Gandhi expelled all the socialist groupings, including

26950-570: Was a bigger threat to India, dividing the people of the country on communal grounds. Speaking to reporters, Prasad said, "In one stroke Mr. Rahul Gandhi has sought to give a big leverage to the propaganda to all the extremist and terrorist groups in Pakistan and also some segments of the Pakistani establishment. It would also seriously compromise India's fight against terror as also our strategic security." Adding that terrorism has no religion, he claimed that Rahul Gandhi had shown his lack of understanding India. Gandhi has also been critical of groups like

27125-466: Was a campaign organised by the Congress party spanning from 2022 to 2023 with the stated primary objective of promoting national unity and solidarity across the various regions of India. It aimed to mobilise support for the INC and its ideology, emphasising themes of patriotism, cultural heritage, and development. Gandhi started the initiative on 7 September 2022 at Kanyakumari after paying tributes to his late father Rajiv Gandhi , Swami Vivekananda , and

27300-521: Was a heightened threat perception to the family, those closest to Gandhi were paranoid about his safety and might have forced him to take cover under the misleading surname "Vinci". After completing higher education, Gandhi worked at the Monitor Group , a management consulting firm set up by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School , in London for three years. In 2002, he returned to India and established his technology consultancy , Backops Services Private Ltd, in Mumbai , where he served as one of

27475-510: Was attended by 100,000 people. In the speech he gave, he criticised the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi about his comment in Toronto where he said that he was "cleaning the mess created by previous governments". He also said, "Do you know how Modi won the election?... He borrowed thousands of crores from industrialists for his several campaigns and advertisements. How will he pay them back? He will pay them back with your land. He will give your land to his industrialist friends." He razzed

27650-499: Was closed due to technical reasons. Nonetheless, Swamy wrote to prime minister Narendra Modi expressing his suspicions about ED Director Ranjan Katoch. Subsequently, in 2015, Katoch was replaced, and the case was reopened. In December 2015, the Patiala court granted bail to the five individuals accused in the case. The Congress party objected to Swamy's complaint to the complaint, labelling it as “ vindictive politics ”. The Bharat Jodo Yatra , which translates to "Unify India March,"

27825-401: Was criticised by the opposition parties. Accusing the government of "murdering" UPA 's land bill, Gandhi promised to prevent the bill from being passed, if not in the parliament then would "stop you [ BJP government] on streets". He further accused the government of diluting the bill and called it "anti-farmer". Gandhi also drew a parallel between "daylight robbery" and the bill. On 26 May,

28000-435: Was due to be interviewed by British actor Peter Ustinov , who was filming a documentary for Irish television. Her assassination prompted the 1984 anti-Sikh riots , during which 3,000–17,000 people were killed. In 1984, Indira Gandhi's son Rajiv Gandhi became nominal head of Congress, and went on to become prime minister upon her assassination. In December, he led Congress to a landslide victory, where it secured 401 seats in

28175-399: Was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha for a fourth term and served as a member of the Standing Committee on Defence , as well as a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs. Between 2008 and 2013, Gandhi assumed the role of general secretary within the Indian National Congress (INC). Since 2007, Gandhi has been the chairperson of both the Indian Youth Congress and

28350-461: Was filed by Purnesh Modi , a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Surat West . He alleged that Gandhi had defamed all individuals with the surname Modi. On 16 July 2019, the Surat court excused Gandhi from appearing personally in court due to short notice. On 10 October, he pleaded not guilty in the Surat Court, recording his statements and responding to questions here on 24 June 2021, and again on 29 October. During these appearances, he clarified to

28525-455: Was formed in 2023. In the first parliamentary elections held in 1952, the INC won 364 seats, which was 76 per cent of the 479 contested seats. The vote share of the INC was 45 per cent of all votes cast. Till the 1971 general elections , the party's voting percentage remain intact at 40 per cent. However, the 1977 general elections resulted in a heavy defeat for the INC. Many notable INC party leader lost their seats, winning only 154 seats in

28700-443: Was fundamental to the development and modernisation of the Indian economy. The Nehru government directed investment primarily into key public sector industries—steel, iron, coal, and power—promoting their development with subsidies and protectionist policies. Nehru embraced secularism, socialistic economic practices based on state-driven industrialisation, and a non-aligned and non-confrontational foreign policy that became typical of

28875-548: Was introduced in the Rajya Sabha . Gandhi backed the bill, stating, "Women do not need any protection. If you give them their rights, they can protect themselves". This bill passed the Rajya Sabha on 9 March 2010, but it never received a vote in the Lok Sabha and eventually lapsed due to its pending status. In 2019, while addressing students in Chennai , Gandhi again called for 33 per cent reservation of all parliamentary Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats for women, as well as government jobs. On 6 September 2018,

29050-427: Was involved in a dispute with senior party leaders on several issues. Notably – Her support for the independent candidate, V. V. Giri , rather than the official Congress party candidate, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy , for the vacant post of the president of India and Gandhi's abrupt nationalisation of the 14 biggest banks in India. In November 1969, the Congress party president, S. Nijalingappa , expelled Indira Gandhi from

29225-511: Was later home-schooled. Gandhi commenced his undergraduate degree at St. Stephen's College before moving to Harvard University . Following his father’s assassination and subsequent security concerns, he moved to Rollins College in Florida, completing his degree in 1994. After earning a M.Phil. from Cambridge , Gandhi initiated his professional career with the Monitor Group , a management consulting firm in London . Soon thereafter, he returned to India and founded Backops Services Private Ltd,

29400-589: Was nominated as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament , reinforcing his role as a prominent figure within the party and the opposition landscape. The National Herald case revolves around allegations of financial irregularities and misuse of funds related to the National Herald newspaper. The case garnered attention when former BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and five other Congress party leaders— Motilal Vora , Oscar Fernandes , Suman Dubey, and Satyan Pitroda —of cheating and misappropriating funds associated with

29575-537: Was politically significant because he was the first person from South India to hold the office, marking a shift from the traditionally northern-dominated leadership in Indian politics. After the election, he formed a minority government. Rao himself did not contest elections in 1991, but after he was sworn in as prime minister, he won in a by-election from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh. His administration oversaw major economic change and experienced several domestic incidents that affected India's national security. Rao, who held

29750-480: Was posthumously cleared of bribery allegations in 2004. On 21 May 1991, Gandhi was killed by a bomb concealed in a basket of flowers carried by a woman associated with the Tamil Tigers . He was campaigning in Tamil Nadu for upcoming parliamentary elections . In 1998, an Indian court convicted 26 people in the conspiracy to assassinate Gandhi. The conspirators, who consisted of Tamil militants from Sri Lanka and their Indian allies, had sought revenge against Gandhi because

29925-508: Was the first Indian Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons (1892–1895) and spent a large part of his life and resources to campaigning for India’s cause on the international stage. The Moderates were able to analyzed the political and economic impacts of British rule in India. Dadabhai Naoroji, Romesh Chunder Dutt , and Dinshaw Wacha and others introduced the Drain Theory to highlight how Britain exploited India's resources. The Drain Theory, proposed by these leaders, challenged

30100-423: Was the first of two children born to Rajiv Gandhi , who later served as the 6th prime minister of India, and Sonia Gandhi , who went on to become the president of the Indian National Congress . As the grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi , his lineage is deeply rooted in Indian political history. His paternal grandfather, Feroze Gandhi , hailed from Gujarat and was of Parsi descent. Furthermore, he

30275-576: Was the first president of Congress; the first session was attended by 72 delegates, representing each province of India. Notable representatives included Scottish ICS officer William Wedderburn , Dadabhai Naoroji , Badruddin Tyabji and Pherozeshah Mehta of the Bombay Presidency Association, Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi of the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha , social reformer and newspaper editor Gopal Ganesh Agarkar , Justice K. T. Telang , N. G. Chandavarkar , Dinshaw Wacha , Behramji Malabari , journalist, and activist Gooty Kesava Pillai , and P. Rangaiah Naidu of

30450-410: Was the paramount leader of the party. Congress gained power in landslide victories in the general elections of 1951–52, 1957, and 1962. During his tenure, Nehru implemented policies based on import substitution industrialisation , and advocated a mixed economy where the government-controlled public sector co-existed with the private sector . He believed the establishment of basic and heavy industries

30625-409: Was under continuous scrutiny for her foreign birth and lack of political acumen. In the snap elections called by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in 1999 , Congress' tally further plummeted to just 114 seats. Although the leadership structure was unaltered as the party campaigned strongly in the assembly elections that followed, Gandhi began to make such strategic changes as abandoning

#939060