Indian National Congress facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Indian National Congress
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| Abbreviation | INC |
| President | Mallikarjun Kharge |
| Parliamentary Chairperson | Sonia Gandhi |
| Lok Sabha leader | TBD |
| Rajya Sabha leader | Mallikarjun Kharge (Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha) |
| Founder | A.O. Hume W.C. Bonnerjee S.N. Banerjee Monomohun Ghose William Wedderburn Dadabhai Naoroji Badruddin Tyabji Pherozeshah Mehta Dinshaw Wacha Mahadev Ranade |
| Founded | 28 December 1885 |
| Headquarters | 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi-110001 |
| Newspaper | Congress Sandesh National Herald |
| Student wing | National Students' Union of India |
| Youth wing | Indian Youth Congress |
| Women's wing | All India Mahila Congress |
| Labour wing | Indian National Trade Union Congress |
| Peasant's wing | Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress |
| Membership | 55 million (2023) |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance Socialist International |
| Colours | Saffron White Green (official, Indian national colours) Sky blue (customary) |
| ECI Status | National Party |
| Alliance | Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (All India) (since 2023) United Progressive Alliance (All India) (until 2023) Secular Democratic Alliance (West Bengal) United Democratic Front (Kerala) Secular Progressive Alliance (Tamil Nadu&Puducherry) United Opposition Forum (Assam) Maha Vikas Aghadi (Maharashtra) Mizoram Secular Alliance (Mizoram) Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (Manipur) Samajwadi Alliance (Uttar Pradesh) Mahagathbandhan (Jharkhand) Mahagathbandhan (Bihar) |
| Seats in Lok Sabha |
101 / 543
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| Seats in Rajya Sabha |
29 / 245
(240 MPs & 5 Vacant) |
| Seats in State Legislative Assemblies |
676 / 4,036
(4030 MLAs & 5 Vacant) (see complete list) |
| Seats in State Legislative Councils |
55 / 426
(390 MLCs & 36 Vacant) (see complete list) |
| Number of states and union territories in government |
5 / 31
(28 States & 3 UTs) |
| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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The Indian National Congress (INC), often called the Congress Party, is a major political party in India. It was started on 28 December 1885. It was the first big group in Asia and Africa to fight for independence from the British Empire.
From the late 1800s, especially after 1920, the Congress Party became the main leader of the Indian independence movement. This was largely thanks to Mahatma Gandhi. The party helped India gain freedom from the United Kingdom. It also inspired other countries under British rule to seek their own independence.
The INC is a "big tent" party, meaning it includes people with many different views. It is generally seen as a centre-left party in Indian politics. The party held its first meeting in 1885 in Bombay. W.C. Bonnerjee was its first president.
After India became independent in 1947, the Congress Party became very powerful. It led India for more than 54 years. India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was from the Congress Party. He introduced ideas like Five-Year Plans and a mixed economy. This meant the government and private businesses both played a role.
Six Prime Ministers have been from the Congress Party. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first (1947–1964). Manmohan Singh was the most recent (2004–2014). Since the 1990s, the Bharatiya Janata Party has become the main rival of the Congress.
The party has faced some splits over the years. In 1969, a group led by Indira Gandhi formed Congress (R). This group became very strong, winning the 1971 election. Another split happened in 1979, leading to Congress (I). This was later recognized as the main Congress Party.
The Congress Party supports ideas like equal opportunity, right to health, right to education, and civil liberty. It also believes in a strong welfare state. The party supports modern economic changes like opening up the economy.
A total of 61 people have been president of the INC. Sonia Gandhi was the longest-serving president, from 1998 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2022. Mallikarjun Kharge is the current president. The party has different levels, from local units to state-level committees. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) is the main body.
Contents
History of the Congress Party
How the Party Started
In the late 1870s, Indians wanted to create a national group to influence politics. In 1883, Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British officer who supported Indians, suggested forming a group for Indian interests. The goal was to give educated Indians a bigger say in government. It also aimed to create a place for them to discuss politics with the British.
Hume contacted important Indian leaders. The first meeting of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay from 28 to 31 December 1885. It was supposed to be in Poona, but a cholera outbreak moved it to Bombay. In its early years, the Congress was a group for people interested in reforms. It did not ask for complete independence from the British Empire at first.
Umesh Chandra Banerjee was the first president. The first meeting had 72 delegates from all over India. Many founding members had studied in Britain. So, for its first two decades, it was more for elite Indian goals than a party for all Indians.
Early Years and Divisions
By 1905, two main groups formed within the party. They had different ideas on how to achieve self-rule. One group was the Moderates, led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. They believed in peaceful methods and working with the British. They used petitions and discussions to ask for reforms.
The other group was the Extremists or Radicals, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai. They wanted stronger action and criticized the Moderates. They aimed to build wide public support for self-rule. Tilak tried to unite Hindu Indians by using Hindu festivals.
These different ideas led to a big split at the Congress meeting in Surat in December 1907, known as the Surat Split.
Annie Besant, an Irish leader, joined the Congress in 1893. She and Tilak realized they needed everyone's cooperation. In 1915, at the Lucknow meeting, the Extremists led by Tilak were allowed back into the Congress.
Many important figures were part of the Congress. Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons. Mohammed Ali Jinnah was also a member, favoring unity between Hindus and Muslims. Later, he led the Muslim League and helped create Pakistan. The Congress became a mass movement during the partition of Bengal in 1905.
Congress Becomes a Mass Movement
In 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa and joined the Congress. His work in South Africa was well known. From 1917 to 1918, Gandhi led three important struggles: Champaran Satyagraha, Ahmedabad Mill Strike, and Kheda Satyagraha.
After World War I, Gandhi became the unofficial spiritual leader of the party. He joined forces with the Khilafat Movement in 1920 to oppose British rule. He fought for Indian rights using civil disobedience, called Satyagraha. In 1922, after violence at Chauri Chaura, Gandhi stopped the movement.
In 1924, Gandhi became president of Congress. His popularity and satyagraha methods gained support from many leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The Congress became a strong group, working to end caste differences, untouchability, and poverty. Even though most members were Hindu, it included people from all religions and backgrounds.
At the 1929 Lahore meeting, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, the party declared its goal as Purna Swaraj (complete independence). They named 26 January 1930 as Independence Day.
In 1937, elections were held in eleven provinces. The Indian National Congress won in eight of them. The All-India Muslim League did not form a government in any province.
In 1939, Congress leaders resigned from their government roles. This was to protest the Viceroy's decision to involve India in Second World War without asking the Indian people. In 1939, Subhas Chandra Bose resigned as president of Congress due to disagreements.
The Congress was a large group that included different political views. In 1939, Mahatma Gandhi removed some socialist groups and Subhas Chandra Bose from the party.
After the British Cripps Mission failed, Mahatma Gandhi launched the "Quit India" movement on 8 August 1942. He urged Indians to "Do or Die" and not help the British in World War II. The British government arrested Gandhi and other Congress leaders. Many Indians who joined the movement were killed. This movement helped weaken British control and paved the way for India's independence.
In 1945, after World War II, the Labour Party in the UK won elections. They promised to give India independence. Political prisoners from the Quit India movement were released.
In 1946, the British put soldiers of the Indian National Army on trial. The Congress helped form the INA Defence Committee to defend them. This team included famous lawyers like Bhulabhai Desai and Jawaharlal Nehru. The British Empire eventually gave in because of the Congress's opposition.
After Independence
After India became independent in 1947, the Indian National Congress became the most powerful political party. In the first general election in 1952, the party won easily. It held power at the national level until 1977. It returned to power in 1980 and again in 1991, 2004, and 2009. During this time, the Congress moved from socialist ideas to more open economic policies.
A party called the Pakistan National Congress was formed after the partition. It represented minorities in Pakistan, especially in East Pakistan. After Bangladesh became independent, it was called the Bangladeshi National Congress but was later dissolved.
Nehru and Shastri's Time (1947–1966)
From 1951 until his death in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru was the main leader of the party. Congress won big in the elections of 1951–52, 1957, and 1962. Nehru focused on building industries and had a mixed economy. He believed in government-controlled industries like steel and coal. Nehru also supported secularism and a non-aligned foreign policy. This meant India did not formally join either the US or Soviet Union during the Cold War.
K. Kamaraj became the president of the All India Congress Committee in 1963. In 1963, the Congress lost some popularity after the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Kamaraj suggested a plan for some leaders to resign and work for the party.
When Nehru passed away in 1964, Gulzarilal Nanda became interim Prime Minister. Then, Lal Bahadur Shastri was chosen as the next Prime Minister. Kamaraj helped make this decision.
As Prime Minister, Shastri continued Nehru's non-alignment policy. He also increased India's defence budget after the 1962 war. He promoted the White Revolution to increase milk production. The anti-Hindi protests in Madras in 1965 happened during his time.
Shastri became a national hero after India's victory in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. His slogan, "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer"), became very famous. Shastri died in Tashkent in 1966. After his death, Congress chose Indira Gandhi as leader.
Indira Gandhi's Time (1966–1984)
In 1967, after a difficult election, Indira Gandhi started moving the party towards more left-wing ideas. In mid-1969, she had disagreements with senior party leaders. She supported an independent candidate for President of India instead of the party's official choice. She also nationalized 14 big banks in India.
Congress Split, 1969
In November 1969, the Congress party president expelled Indira Gandhi. She then started her own group, called Congress (R). The original party became Indian National Congress (O). Most Congress Members of Parliament supported Indira Gandhi's new group. Her group was given a new election symbol: a cow with a suckling calf. The Congress (O) later joined other parties to form the Janata Party.
In the 1971 election, Gandhi's Congress (R) won a huge victory. She promised to remove poverty (Garibi Hatao). Her policies included ending special payments to former rulers of princely states and nationalizing major banks. These payments were officially ended in 1971.
Due to the 1962 war, India faced economic problems. Indira Gandhi nationalized 14 major private banks in 1969. After winning the 1971 election, she also nationalized coal, steel, and other industries. This was mainly to protect jobs.
On 12 June 1975, a court declared Indira Gandhi's election to parliament invalid. She refused to resign and appealed to the Supreme Court. To deal with growing disorder, Gandhi's government declared a State of Emergency. This lasted for 19 months, until March 1977. During this time, many political prisoners were released, and new elections were called. In the 1977 elections, the Janata alliance won a big victory, and Gandhi lost her seat.
Formation of Congress (I)
On 2 January 1978, Indira Gandhi and her supporters formed a new party called Congress (I), with "I" standing for Indira. This new party soon became the official opposition. In January 1980, Congress (I) won a big election, and she became Prime Minister again. The election commission recognized Congress (I) as the real Indian National Congress. The "I" was dropped from the name in 1996.
Punjab Crisis
During Gandhi's time as Prime Minister, there were growing demands for Sikh self-rule in Punjab. In 1983, a militant leader and his followers gathered weapons in the Golden Temple. In June 1984, Gandhi ordered the Indian Army to enter the Golden Temple to take control. This event is known as Operation Blue Star.
On 31 October 1984, two of Gandhi's bodyguards shot her. This was in response to Operation Blue Star. Her death led to violence against Sikhs in 1984.
Rajiv Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao (1984–1998)
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In 1984, Indira Gandhi's son Rajiv Gandhi became the head of Congress and then Prime Minister after her death. In December, he led Congress to a huge victory, winning 401 seats in parliament. His government worked to improve government services and open up the economy.
However, his efforts to stop separatist movements in Punjab and Kashmir faced problems. His government also faced some financial issues. The Bofors scandal affected his reputation, but he was later cleared of the charges. On 21 May 1991, Gandhi was killed while campaigning. Tamil militants from Sri Lanka were found responsible.
P. V. Narasimha Rao became the party leader and Prime Minister in June 1991. He was the first Prime Minister from South India. His government brought big economic changes. Rao was in charge of ending the "Licence Raj". This was a system of many permits and rules needed to start businesses.
Rao chose Manmohan Singh as his finance minister. Singh started major economic reforms to help India's economy. These reforms helped India avoid a financial crisis. Future Prime Ministers continued these economic changes. Rao is often called the "Father of Indian economic reforms."
By 1996, the party faced challenges like internal disagreements and corruption claims. In the 1996 elections, Congress won only 140 seats, its lowest number at that time. Rao resigned as Prime Minister and party president. Sitaram Kesri became the new president.
Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh (1998–2014)
The 1998 elections saw Congress win only 141 seats. To gain popularity, Congress leaders asked Sonia Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi's widow, to lead the party. She had avoided politics before. After she became leader, some members left and formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) because of her foreign background.
Sonia Gandhi worked to revive the party. She changed the party's strategy and formed alliances with other parties. Congress won many state elections during this time. For the 2004 general election, Congress formed alliances with regional parties. Their campaign focused on helping common people. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won the election.
Even with strong support, Gandhi chose not to become Prime Minister. She appointed Manmohan Singh instead. She remained party president. The UPA government passed important social laws, like an employment guarantee bill and the Right to Information Act.
In the 2009 elections, Congress won 207 seats, the most for any party since 1991. The UPA formed a government again. The social welfare policies were seen as a reason for their victory.
Rahul Gandhi and Modern Era (2014–Present)
By the 2014 election, the party had lost much support. This was due to economic problems and corruption claims. The Congress won only 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, its worst performance ever.
Sonia Gandhi retired as party president in December 2017 after 19 years. Her son Rahul Gandhi became the new president.
Rahul Gandhi resigned after the 2019 election because the party did not do well. It won only 52 seats. Sonia Gandhi became interim president again. The party has seen many members leave to join other parties since 2014. This has caused the party to lose power in some states.
In 2022, the Congress Working Committee decided to hold a presidential election. Mallikarjun Kharge won this election, becoming the current president.
Election Results
In the first parliamentary elections in 1952, the INC won 364 out of 479 seats. This was 76% of the seats. The party's vote share was 45%. Until the 1971 elections, the party's vote percentage stayed around 40%.
However, the 1977 elections were a big defeat for the INC. It won only 154 seats. The INC returned to power in the 1980 Indian general election with 353 seats. The party's vote share reached a record high of 48.1% by 1984/85. In December 1984, the Congress won 415 out of 533 seats, the largest majority ever in India's Lok Sabha elections.
In November 1989, the Congress did not do well but was still the largest single party. Its vote share started to decrease. In 2004, the INC, led by Sonia Gandhi, became the single largest party. Congress formed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) with other parties and formed the government.
What the Party Believes In
Social Ideas
The Congress party believes in social equality, freedom, secularism, and equal opportunity. It is generally seen as a centrist party. Historically, it has supported farmers and workers. The party helped create the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This law guarantees 100 days of work each year for rural households.
The Congress aims to protect minorities and also supports Hindu beliefs. The party follows Mahatma Gandhi's idea of Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava, meaning all religions are equal. This is part of its secularism.
Under Narasimha Rao, local governments (Panchayati Raj and Municipal Government) gained constitutional status. This helped ensure that local self-government included all groups, with reservations for certain communities and women.
After independence, Congress wanted Hindi to be India's only national language. However, non-Hindi-speaking states, especially Tamil Nadu, opposed this. They wanted to continue using English. Lal Bahadur Shastri promised that English would remain an official language as long as non-Hindi speaking states wanted it. Indira Gandhi later made sure that both Hindi and English would be official languages. This helped end protests.
Economic Ideas
The Congress party's economic policies have changed over time. From 1947 to 1991, they focused on government-controlled industries. After 1991, they moved towards opening up the economy. Today, Congress supports a mixed economy. This means both private businesses and the government guide the economy.
In the early years, Jawaharlal Nehru focused on building big industries like steel and coal. The government heavily invested in these areas. This period was known as the "Licence Raj". It was a system of many licenses and rules for businesses. This system continued under Indira Gandhi. Many key sectors like banking and oil were taken over by the government.
In 1991, the new Congress government, led by P. V. Narasimha Rao, started big economic reforms. These reforms aimed to open India to foreign investment and reduce government control over businesses. Manmohan Singh played a key role in these changes.
In 2004, Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister. His government introduced policies to reform banks and public companies. They also helped farmers with their debts. In 2005, they introduced the value added tax. India managed to avoid the worst effects of the 2008 global economic crisis. Singh's government continued highway modernization programs.
Then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee made many tax reforms. He also increased funding for social programs like improving literacy and healthcare.
National Defence and Home Affairs
After independence, India wanted to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes. In 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test. This test was called Operation Smiling Buddha. India said it was for "peaceful purposes." Other countries criticized the test, and some stopped nuclear support to India. However, the test was popular in India and boosted Indira Gandhi's popularity.
Indira Gandhi's government also oversaw the creation of new states in Northeast India. In 1972, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura became states. In 1975, Sikkim was annexed.
Manmohan Singh's government worked to rebuild Kashmir and strengthen anti-terrorism laws. They also created the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to fight terrorism after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Education and Healthcare
Under Nehru, many important learning institutions were set up. These included the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Indian Institutes of Technology. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was also established. Nehru's plans aimed to provide free primary education to all children.
Rajiv Gandhi's government helped improve information technology in India. They made computers more affordable. The idea of having Navodaya Vidyalaya schools in every district was part of his education policy.
In 2005, the Congress-led government started the National Rural Health Mission. This program hired many community health workers. In 2006, they reserved 27% of seats in top education institutions for certain backward classes. Singh's government also continued the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan program. This program aims to improve education and fight illiteracy by opening new schools.
Foreign Policies
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During the Cold War, Congress supported a foreign policy of non-alignment. This meant India would be friends with both the Western and Eastern Blocs but not formally join either. When the US supported Pakistan, India signed a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in 1971.
Congress has continued to work for peace with Pakistan. They have also tried to resolve border disputes with China. Relations with Afghanistan have also been important. India has provided a lot of aid to Afghanistan for schools and health clinics.
In 2012, India launched the Connect Central Asia policy. This aims to strengthen ties with countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Look East policy, started in 1992, aimed to build strong economic ties with Southeast Asian nations.
The party supports friendly relations with all countries. It has a special focus on Afro-Asian nations. It played a role in forming groups like the Group of 77 and SAARC.
The party is against the arms race and supports disarmament. From 2004 to 2014, Congress worked on improving India's relationship with the United States. They signed a India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2008. However, India has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty because it sees it as unfair.
Congress also aims to improve relations with Japan and European countries. They also work to strengthen ties with other developing countries like Brazil and South Africa.
How the Party is Organized
The president and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) are chosen by delegates from state and district parties. Each Indian state has a Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). This is the state-level part of the party. It runs political campaigns at local and state levels. Each PCC has a working committee.
Members elected to state assemblies form the Congress Legislature Parties. Their leader is usually the party's choice for Chief Minister. The party also has many other committees and groups. It publishes a newspaper called the National Herald.
The AICC is made up of delegates from the PCCs. These delegates choose Congress committees, including the Congress Working Committee. This committee has senior party leaders. The AICC makes all important decisions. Since Indira Gandhi formed Congress (I) in 1978, the party president has been the main national leader.
The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) includes elected Members of Parliament (MPs). There is also a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in each state. The CLP includes all Congress Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in each state. If Congress rules a state alone, the CLP leader is the chief minister.
Other groups linked to the party include:
- National Students' Union of India (NSUI): The student wing.
- Indian Youth Congress: The youth wing.
- Indian National Trade Union Congress: The labor union.
- All India Mahila Congress: The women's division.
- Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress: The peasant's wing.
- Congress Seva Dal: The volunteer group.
- All India Congress Minority Department: The minority wing.
Party Symbols
As of 2021, the election symbol of Congress is a right hand with its palm facing forward. This is usually shown in the middle of a tricolor flag. The hand symbol was first used by Indira Gandhi in 1977. It stands for strength, energy, and unity.
Before, under Nehru, the symbol was a 'Pair of bullocks carrying a yoke'. This symbol was popular with farmers. In 1969, when Indira Gandhi formed Congress (R), her symbol was a cow with a suckling calf. Later, when she formed Congress (I), she chose the hand symbol.
Family Influence
It is common in Indian politics for family members to follow each other into political roles. This happens in many parties, including the Congress party. Six members of the Nehru–Gandhi family have been presidents of the party. Indira Gandhi's family started to have a strong influence during the Emergency period.
After Indira Gandhi's death, her son Rajiv Gandhi became her successor. After his death, Sonia Gandhi was chosen as his successor, though she initially declined. Since Indira Gandhi formed Congress (I) in 1978, the party president has been from her family, except for a period between 1991 and 1998. In recent elections, many Congress MPs had family members who were also politicians.
However, some leaders within the party have called for changes. They want the party to be restructured so that others can take charge.
Congress in States and Union Territories
The Indian National Congress is the only party in India that has led state governments in every Indian state since independence. From the first general election in 1952, Congress won most state elections.
As of December 2023, the INC is in power in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka. In Jharkhand, it shares power with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. In Tamil Nadu, it is a junior partner in the Secular Progressive Alliance. Congress has had strong support for decades in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Punjab.
Leaders in Government
Prime Ministers from Congress
The Congress Party has governed India for most of its independent history (55 years). Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Manmohan Singh are among India's longest-serving Prime Ministers. In the first general election after independence, Congress won 364 out of 489 seats.
Gulzarilal Nanda served as acting Prime Minister twice for short periods. Indira Gandhi was the first and only woman Prime Minister of India. She served the second-longest term. Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1984 at age 40, making him the youngest PM. He was known for economic reforms. P. V. Narasimha Rao was the 10th Prime Minister and the first from South India.
The Congress party and its allies won a majority in the 2004 and 2009 elections. Manmohan Singh served two full terms as Prime Minister. The party faced big defeats in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
Images for kids
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Flag of the Indian National Congress
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Current election symbol of the Indian National Congress
- All India Congress Committee
- Congress Working Committee
- Electoral history of the Indian National Congress
- High command culture
- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance
- List of chief ministers from the Indian National Congress
- List of Indian National Congress breakaway parties
- List of political parties in India
- List of presidents of the Indian National Congress
- List of state presidents of the Indian National Congress
- Nehru–Gandhi family
- Politics of India
- Pradesh Congress Committee
- United Progressive Alliance
