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Indian National Congress (INC)
Political party
Indian National Congress (INC)
Founded in 1885, before the country’s Independence, the Indian National Congress is the oldest surviving political party of India, hence the moniker Grand Old Party. The Congress is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and in alliance with a number of parties under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) umbrella. Some of the key members of the UPA are the Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and the Janata Dal (Secular).The Indian National Congress has had a rich political history, starting from its contribution to India’s freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatama Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Subas Chandra Bose and Sarojini Naidu as the Congress party’s key members.
When India gained independence, the Congress’ Nehru became its first prime minister and held that post for a record period of 17 years. The party’s follower base expanded across India and established the Congress as the most powerful political outfit. The defining moments in modern India’s history have been with the Congress at the helm of affairs at the Centre.
India fought wars with Pakistan and China during Nehru’s rule as the PM of the country, while his daughter Indira Gandhi became the first female prime minister of India. She ended up being the second-longest-serving prime minister. It was during Indira Gandhi’s rule that India fought another war with Pakistan and was instrumental in formation of Bangladesh. Hers, however, is considered one of the most turbulent times for India, especially the Emergency years from 1975.
The Congress party was voted out of power for the first time in 1977, when Morarji Desai of the Janata Party became the prime minister. This was immediately after the Emergency. However, the party came back to power in 1979. In the 1984 elections, in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her bodyguards, the Congress went on to register a landslide victory, bagging 404 seats in the Lok Sabha.
Indira Gandhi had been assassinated to avenge Operation Blue Star, under which Amritsar’s Golden Temple had been raided to purge ‘pro-Khalistan’ activities. Her assassination led to anti-sikh riots in some parts of the country.
Her son Rajiv, who succeeded Indira Gandhi as the prime minister led the Congress party until his own assassination by Tamil ultras in 1991. The Congress party remained in power for some time without anyone from the Gandhi clan leading the party. In 1998, however, Rajiv Gandhi’s widow Sonia became the leader of the party and remained so for 19 years.
The Congress remained out of power at the Centre from 1998 to 2004, a period during which three Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments took office with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM. The Congress remained in the Opposition for this duration.
In 2004, the Congress came back with a victory over the BJP and formed a government with a number of parties under an alliance called the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). This alliance served at the Centre for two terms with economist-turned-politician Manmohan Singh as the PM.
Some of the key initiatives launched during the UPA regime was the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The government also passed the Right to Information Act in 2005. The regime faced severe flak in 2008 over the Mumbai attacks, but UPA regained power in 2009 as the BJP failed to get a majority in the 2009 elections.
The second term of the Congress-led UPA was marred by corruption scandals, with several scams coming to light and the party failing to control the narrative. The BJP, meanwhile, saw the rise of Narendra Modi as a national leader.
Come 2014, under Modi’s leadership, the BJP trounced the Congress and returned to power with a massive majority. The Congress strength in Lok Sabha, from 404 seats 30 years earlier, was reduced to a mere 45. Worse still, the party and its allies went on losing state after state to the BJP in successive Assembly polls.
However, the year 2018 saw a turnaround of sorts for the Congress, with the party wresting three crucial states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan from the BJP. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are going to be the acid test for the new and rejuvenated leadership of the Congress party.
While the Congress at present has 45 members in the Lok Sabha, it is in the government in 5 states and Union Territories. Among the party’s key leader of the day are Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra, Shashi Tharoor, Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot, Anand Sharma and Mallikarjun Kharge.
LEADERS FROM THE CONGRESS
Congress In News
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Re-examine your theory on housing loan: Chidambaram to Finance Secy
Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Sunday urged Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to "re-examine ...| February 05, 2023, Sunday -
Modi privatising all public sectors to help big people, says Congress
Rao further said that the shareholders are coming down and people are asking in Parliament to put a Joint Parliamentary Committee ...| February 05, 2023, Sunday -
Budget session: Smriti Irani slams Cong for disrupting Parl proceedings
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday slammed the Congress for disrupting the proceedings in Parliament demanding an ...| February 04, 2023, Saturday -
Cong objects private member's bill seeking repeal of Places of Worship Act
The Congress has strongly objected to the introduction in the Rajya Sabha of a private member's bill which seeks to repeal the ...| February 03, 2023, Friday -
LIVE: Police busting auto lifter gang, arms supply cartels and theft racket
Catch all the live updates from across the globe here| February 03, 2023, Friday -
Congress issues whip to Lok Sabha MPs to remain present in House today
This comes after both Houses were adjourned soon after the commencement of the day's session today| February 03, 2023, Friday -
Cong gives adjournment notices in LS to discuss Adani crisis, border row
Congress members Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari on Thursday gave adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha to discuss the Adani ...| February 02, 2023, Thursday -
Left, Congress to withdraw candidates fielded against each other in Tripura
The CPI-M led Left Front and the Congress announced that both parties would withdraw their candidates fielded against each other ...| February 02, 2023, Thursday -
More competitive Congress must for revival of healthy democracy: Guha
Historian Ramachandra Guha on Tuesday said that to "revive" healthy democracy in India in which one party does not steamroll the ...| February 01, 2023, Wednesday -
Challenge to build 'brand India' continues: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said the challenge to build "brand India" continues because it is world's perception ...| February 01, 2023, Wednesday