View source for Indian National Congress

{{Short description|Indian political party}}
{{hatnote group|
{{for|similarly named parties}}
{{distinguish|text=the [[Parliament of India]]}}
}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox Indian political party
| name              = Indian National Congress
| abbreviation      = INC
| logo              = [[File:Indian National Congress hand logo.svg|150px]]
| logo_size = 180px
| colourcode         = {{party colour|Indian National Congress}}
| founder           = [[Allan Octavian Hume|A.O. Hume]]<br>[[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee|W.C. Bonnerjee]]<br>[[Surendranath Banerjee|S.N. Banerjee]] <br>[[Monomohun Ghose]]<br>[[William Wedderburn]]<br>[[Dadabhai Naoroji]]<br>[[Badruddin Tyabji]]<br>[[Pherozeshah Mehta]]<br>[[Dinshaw Edulji Wacha|Dinshaw Wacha]]<br>[[Mahadev Govind Ranade|Mahadev Ranade]]<ref>
* {{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ | title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents | work=The Indian Express | author=Kanishka Singh | date=5 December 2017 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}
* {{cite web | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/sagely-leader-dadabhai-naoroji/cid/1820580 | title=Sagely leader: Dadabhai Naoroji |work=The Telegraph|location=India | author=Praveen Davar | date=30 June 2021 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}
* {{cite web | url=https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/ao-hume-father-of-indian-national-congress-who-was-distrusted-by-the-british-indians/246141/ | title=AO Hume, 'Father' of Indian National Congress who was distrusted by the British & Indians | publisher=ThePrint | work=DEEKSHA BHARDWAJ | date=6 June 2019 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}
* {{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/cong-founder-was-district-collector-of-etawah/articleshow/50346572.cms | title=Cong founder was district collector of Etawah | work=[[The Times of India]] | last=Sinha |first=Arunav | date=28 December 2015 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}
* {{cite book|author=Sir William Wedderburn|title=Allan Octavian Hume: Father of the Indian National Congress, 1829–1912 : a Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dFqgAAAAMAAJ|year=2002|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-565287-1|page=42}}
* {{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24701107 | author=Kanta Kataria | title=A.o. Hume: His Life and Contribution to the Regeneration of India | journal=The Indian Journal of Political Science | year=2013 | volume=74 | issue=2 | pages=245–252| jstor=24701107 }}</ref>
| presidium         = [[All India Congress Committee]]
| president         = [[Mallikarjun Kharge]]<ref name="indiatimes1">{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/mallikarjun-kharge-wins-congress-presidential-elections-set-to-become-first-non-gandhi-head-of-party-in-24-years/articleshow/94961760.cms |title=Mallikarjun Kharge wins Congress Presidential elections, set to become first non-Gandhi head of party in 24 years|work=The Economic Times|date=3 June 2021 |accessdate=2022-10-21}}</ref><ref name="thehindu1">{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/congress-president-poll-mallikarjun-kharge-set-to-be-partys-new-chief-polls-over-7000-votes/article66030419.ece | title=Mallikarjun Kharge wins Congress presidential election with over 7,800 votes | newspaper=The Hindu | date=19 October 2022 | last1=Phukan | first1=Sandeep }}</ref>
| ppchairman        = [[Sonia Gandhi]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/sonia-gandhi-to-chair-congress-parliamentary-strategy-group-meeting-to-formulate-strategy-for-winter-session-of-parliament/1241832/ |title=Sonia Gandhi to chair Congress parliamentary strategy group meeting to formulate strategy for Winter Session of Parliament |work=The Print |date=29 November 2022}}</ref>
| loksabha_leader   =[[Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury]] <!-- The leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party is NOT necessarily the Lok Sabha leader.  -->
| rajyasabha_leader = [[Mallikarjun Kharge]] ([[List of leaders of opposition in the Rajya Sabha|Leader of Opposition]])
| foundation        = {{Start date and age|df=yes|p=y|1885|12|28}}
| headquarters      = 24, [[Akbar Road]], New Delhi-110001<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofindia.com/india/rent-relief-unlikely-for-congresss-delhi-properties/articleshow/64441958.cms |title=Rent relief unlikely for Congress's Delhi properties |work=The Times of India |date=4 June 2018 |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref>
| publication       = ''Congress Sandesh''<br />''[[National Herald]]''
| students          = [[National Students' Union of India]]
| youth             = [[Indian Youth Congress]]
| women             = [[All India Mahila Congress]]
| labour            = [[Indian National Trade Union Congress]]
| peasants          = [[Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress]]<ref name="Kisan Wing">{{cite news |title=Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress sets 10-day deadline for Centre to concede demands |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/Kisan-and-Khet-Mazdoor-Congress-sets-10-day-deadline-for-Centre-to-concede-demands/article14427968.ece |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=16 June 2016}}</ref>
|think tank        =
|membership        =  55 million (2023)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theprint.in/india/southern-states-ahead-in-congress-membership-drive-telangana-unit-leads/892158/ |title=Southern states ahead in Congress membership drive, Telangana unit leads |date=28 March 2022 |website=[[ThePrint]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.abplive.com/news/india/congress-digital-membership-drive-gains-focus-with-47-percent-men-42-percent-women-participation-significant-contribution-by-south-1521959 |title=Congress' Digital Membership Drive Gains Focus With Boost in Participation, South Contributes Significantly |date=27 March 2022 |website=[[ABP News]]}}</ref>
| ideology          = {{ublist |item_style=white-space:nowrap;
<!-- IMPORTANT: Do not change party ideology or position without bringing reliable sources to the Talk page and garnering consensus. --> 
| [[Big tent]]{{refn |<ref name="Barrington2009">{{cite book|author=Lowell Barrington|title=Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3uuAtazupnAC&pg=PA379|year=2009|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-618-49319-7|page=379}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Meyer|first1=Karl Ernest|last2=Brysac|first2=Shareen Blair|title=Pax Ethnica: Where and How Diversity Succeeds|url=https://archive.org/details/paxethnicawhereh0000meye|url-access=registration|access-date=7 April 2016|year=2012|publisher=PublicAffairs|isbn=978-1-61039-048-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/paxethnicawhereh0000meye/page/50 50]}}</ref>}}
 | [[Liberalism]] ([[Liberalism in India|Indian]]){{refn |<ref>{{cite book |editor1=Emiliano Bosio |editor2=Yusef Waghid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hb6ZEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA270 |title=Global Citizenship Education in the Global South: Educators' Perceptions and Practices |date=31 October 2022 |page=270 |publisher=Brill |isbn=9789004521742 }}</ref><ref name="Liberal1">{{cite book |last=DeSouza |first=Peter Ronald |date=2006 |title=India's Political Parties Readings in Indian Government and Politics series |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eeRhDwAAQBAJ&q=Indian+National+Congress+liberal+ideology |publisher= [[SAGE Publishing]] |page=420 |isbn=978-9-352-80534-1 }}</ref><ref name="Liberal2">{{cite book |last1=Rosow |first1=Stephen J. |last2=George |first2=Jim |date=2014 |title=Globalization and Democracy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v3mVoAEACAAJ |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |pages=91–96 |isbn=978-1-442-21810-9 }}</ref>}}
<!-- On hold | [[Social liberalism]]{{refn |<ref name="Liberal1">{{cite book |last=DeSouza |first=Peter Ronald |date=2006 |title=India's Political Parties Readings in Indian Government and Politics series |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eeRhDwAAQBAJ&q=Indian+National+Congress+liberal+ideology |publisher= [[SAGE Publishing]] |page=420 |isbn=978-9-352-80534-1 }}</ref><ref name="Liberal2">{{cite book |last1=Rosow |first1=Stephen J. |last2=George |first2=Jim |date=2014 |title=Globalization and Democracy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v3mVoAEACAAJ |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |pages=91–96 |isbn=978-1-442-21810-9 }}</ref><ref name="NSGehlot1991">{{cite book|author=N. S. Gehlot|title=The Congress Party in India: Policies, Culture, Performance|url={{Google books|06HLD2_3Qj4C|page=PM177|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1991|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|isbn=978-81-7100-306-8|pages=150–200}}</ref><ref name="J.Soper">{{cite book |last1=Soper |first1=J. Christopher |last2=Fetzer |first2=Joel S. |date=2018 |title=Religion and Nationalism in Global Perspective |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y7BoDwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=200–210 |isbn=978-1-107-18943-0 }}</ref>}} on the Talk page without agreement. -->
|[[Social democracy]]{{refn |<ref name="Barrington2009"/><ref name="Agarwal1989">{{cite book|year=1989|editor1-last=Agrawal|editor1-first=S. P.|editor2-last=Aggarwal|editor2-first=J. C.|title=Nehru on Social Issues|location=New Delhi|publisher=Concept Publishing|isbn=978-817022207-1}}</ref> }}
 <!-- On hold [[Economic liberalism]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Political Parties – NCERT |url=https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/jess406.pdf |publisher=[[National Council of Educational Research and Training]] |access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Mohan, Rakesh.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1056070747|title=India Transformed : Twenty-Five Years of Economic Reforms.|date=2018|publisher=Brookings Institution Press|isbn=978-0-8157-3662-2|location=Washington, DC|pages=44–49|oclc=1056070747}}</ref> -->
 | [[Secularism]]<ref name="J.Soper">{{cite book |last1=Soper |first1=J. Christopher |last2=Fetzer |first2=Joel S. |date=2018 |title=Religion and Nationalism in Global Perspective |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y7BoDwAAQBAJ |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=200–210 |isbn=978-1-107-18943-0 }}</ref>
 | [[Civic nationalism]]<ref name="J.Soper" />}}
|position          = <!-- IMPORTANT: Do not change party ideology or position without bringing reliable sources to the Talk page and garnering consensus. -->  {{nowrap|[[Centrism|Centre]]{{refn |<ref name="Barrington2009" /><ref name="centrist">{{cite web |title=Political Parties – NCERT |url=https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/jess406.pdf |publisher=[[National Council of Educational Research and Training]] |access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor=Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Jacques deLisle |title=Inside India Today (Routledge Revivals) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=heFSAQAAQBAJ&dq=Centrist+Indian+National+Congress&pg=PR10 |quote= ... were either guarded in their criticism of the ruling party – the centrist Indian National Congress – or attacked it almost invariably from a rightist position. This was so for political and commercial reasons, which are explained, ... |date=2013 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-135-04823-5 }}</ref>}} }}
|international     =  {{nowrap|[[Progressive Alliance]]}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://progressive-alliance.info/participants/|title=Progressive Alliance Participants|work=Progressive Alliance|access-date=20 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302142054/http://progressive-alliance.info/participants/|archive-date=2 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />{{nowrap|[[Socialist International]]}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931|title=Full Member Parties of Socialist International|work=Socialist International}}</ref><ref name="Sheffer1993">{{cite book |author=Gabriel Sheffer|title=Innovative Leaders in International Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=__efKLSD3M0C&pg=PA202|access-date=30 January 2013|year=1993|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-1520-7|page=202}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Meeting of the SI Council at the United Nations in Geneva|url=http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=2326|publisher=Socialist International}}</ref> 
| eci               = [[List of political parties in India|National Party]]<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Political Parties and Election Symbols main Notification Dated 18.01.2013|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/ElectoralLaws/OrdersNotifications/ElecSym19012013_eng.pdf|publisher=Election Commission of India|access-date=9 May 2013|location=India|year=2013}}</ref>
| alliance          =[[Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance]]<br />([[India|All India]]) (since 2023)<br />[[United Progressive Alliance]]<br />([[India|All India]]) (until 2023)<br />[[Secular Democratic Alliance]]<br />([[West Bengal]])<br />[[United Democratic Front (India)|United Democratic Front]]<br />([[Kerala]])<br />[[Secular Progressive Alliance]]<br />([[Tamil Nadu]])<br />[[United Opposition Forum]]<br />([[Assam]])<br />[[Maha Vikas Aghadi]]<br />([[Maharashtra]])<br />[[Mizoram Secular Alliance]]<br />([[Mizoram]])<br />[[Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance]]<br />([[Manipur]])<br />[[Samajwadi Alliance]]<br />([[Uttar Pradesh]])<br />[[Mahagathbandhan (Jharkhand)|Mahagathbandhan]]<br />([[Jharkhand]])<br />[[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|Mahagathbandhan]]<br />([[Bihar]])
| loksabha_seats    = {{Composition bar|51|543|hex={{party color|Indian National Congress}}}} ('''512''' MPs & '''31''' Vacant)
| rajyasabha_seats  = {{Composition bar|29|245|hex={{party color|Indian National Congress}}}} ('''240''' MPs & '''5''' Vacant)<ref name=pp>{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.5/newlob/party_position.pdf|title=Party Position in the Rajya Sabha|publisher=Rajya Sabha|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>
| state_seats_name  = [[State legislative assemblies of India|State Legislative Assemblies]]
| state_seats       = {{Composition bar|676|4036|hex={{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
('''4030''' MLAs & '''5''' Vacant)
([[#Presence/Alliance in states and UTs|see complete list]])
| state2_seats_name = [[State Legislative Council (India)|State Legislative Councils]]
| state2_seats      = {{Composition bar|55|426|hex={{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
('''390''' MLCs & '''36''' Vacant)
([[#Presence/Alliance in states and UTs|see complete list]])
| no_states         = {{Composition bar|5|31|hex={{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
('''28''' States & '''3''' UTs)
| colours           = {{colour box|{{party colour|Indian National Congress}}|border=darkgray}} Sky blue (customary)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/parliamentaryconstituencies/results.html|title=India General (Lok Sabha) Election 2014 Results|work=mapsofindia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://election-results.ibnlive.in.com/live|title=Election Results India, General Elections Results, Lok Sabha Polls Results India – CNN-IBN|work=in.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150420063442/http://election-results.ibnlive.in.com/live|archive-date=20 April 2015}}</ref>
| symbol            = [[File:Hand INC.svg|150px]]
| flag              = Indian National Congress Flag.svg
| website           = {{Official URL}}
| general_secretary=<!-- Do not arrange differently, this is the correct order as per INC official website--> {{ubl|class=nowrap|
 |[[Avinash Pandey]]
 |[[Jairam Ramesh]]
 |[[Jitendra Singh (Congress politician)|Jitendra Singh]]
 |[[K. C. Venugopal]]
 |[[Mukul Wasnik]]
 |[[Priyanka Gandhi]]
 |[[Randeep Singh Surjewala]]
 |[[Sachin Pilot]]|split=}}
| treasurer=[[Ajay Maken]]}}
{{Indian National Congress sidebar}}

The '''Indian National Congress''' ('''INC'''), [[colloquially]] the '''Congress Party''' or simply the '''Congress''', is a [[political parties in India|political party in India]] with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first modern [[Nationalism|nationalist movement]] to emerge in the [[British Empire]] in Asia and Africa.{{efn|"The first modern nationalist movement to arise in the non-European empire, and one that became an inspiration for many others, was the Indian Congress."<ref name="Marshall2001" />}}<ref name="Marshall2001" /> From the late 19th century, and especially after 1920, under the leadership of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], the Congress became the principal leader of the [[Indian independence movement]].<ref name="research">{{cite web|title=Information about the Indian National Congress|url=http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/indian-national-congress|website=open.ac.uk |publisher=Arts & Humanities Research council|access-date=29 July 2015}}</ref> The Congress led India to independence from the [[United Kingdom]],{{efn|"South Asian parties include several of the oldest in the post-colonial world, foremost among them the 129-year-old Indian National Congress that led India to independence in 1947"<ref name="Chiriyankandath2016" /> }}<ref name="Chiriyankandath2016">{{citation|last=Chiriyankandath|first=James |title=Parties and Political Change in South Asia|url={{Google books|c4n7CwAAQBAJ|page=PA2|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-58620-3|page=2}}</ref>{{efn|"The organization that led India to independence, the Indian National Congress, was established in 1885."<ref name="KopsteinLichbach2014" /> }}<ref name="KopsteinLichbach2014">{{citation|last1=Kopstein|first1=Jeffrey|last2=Lichbach|first2=Mark|last3=Hanson |first3=Stephen E.|title=Comparative Politics: Interests, Identities, and Institutions in a Changing Global Order|url={{Google books|L2jwAwAAQBAJ|page=PA344|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2014|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-99138-4|page=344}}</ref> and significantly influenced other [[Decolonization|anti-colonial nationalist movements]] in the British Empire.{{efn|"...&nbsp;anti-colonial movements ... which, like many other nationalist movements elsewhere in the empire, were strongly influenced by the Indian National Congress."<ref name="Marshall2001" />}}<ref name="Marshall2001">{{citation|last=Marshall|first=P. J.|title=The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire|url={{Google books|S2EXN8JTwAEC|page=PA179|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2001|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-00254-7|page=179}}</ref>

Congress is one of the two major [[List of political parties in India|political parties in India]], alongside the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/-In-Numbers-The-Rise-of-BJP-and-decline-of-Congress/articleshow/52341190.cms|title=In Numbers: The Rise of BJP and decline of Congress|work=The Times of India|date=19 May 2016|access-date=29 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105170102/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/-In-Numbers-The-Rise-of-BJP-and-decline-of-Congress/articleshow/52341190.cms|archive-date=5 November 2017}}</ref> It is a "[[big tent]]" party whose platform is generally considered to lie in the [[political centre]] of [[Indian politics]].<ref name="Barrington2009"/><ref name="centrist" /><ref name="British-Journal">{{cite journal|last1=Saez|first1=Lawrence|last2=Sinha|first2=Aseema|title=Political cycles, political institutions and public expenditure in India, 1980–2000|journal=British Journal of Political Science|volume=40|issue=1|year=2010|pages=91–113|doi=10.1017/s0007123409990226|s2cid=154767259}}</ref> The Party held its first session in 1885 in [[Mumbai|Bombay]] where [[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee|W.C. Bonnerjee]] presided over it.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indian National Congress |url=https://inc.in/ |access-date=2023-11-05 |website=Indian National Congress}}</ref> After Indian independence in 1947, Congress emerged as a [[catch-all party|catch-all]] and [[Secularism in India|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 (India)|Planning Commission]], introducing [[Five-Year Plans of India|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 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).

In 1969, the party suffered a major split, with a faction led by [[Indira Gandhi]] leaving to form the [[Indian National Congress (R)|Congress (R)]], with the remainder becoming the [[Indian National Congress (Organisation)|Congress (O)]]. The Congress (R) became the dominant faction, winning the [[1971 Indian general election|1971 general election]] by a huge margin. From 1975 to 1977, Indira Gandhi declared a [[The Emergency (India)|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|Electoral Commission]] in 1981. Under [[Rajiv Gandhi]]'s leadership, the party won a massive victory in the [[1984 Indian general election|1984 general elections]], nevertheless losing the election held in 1989 to the [[National Front (India)|National Front]]. The Congress then returned to power under [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]], who moved the party towards an [[Economic liberalisation in India|economically liberal agenda]], a sharp break from previous leaders. However, it lost the [[1996 Indian general election|1996 general election]] and was replaced in government by the National Front (then the BJP). After a record eight years out of office, the Congress-led coalition known as the [[United Progressive Alliance]] (UPA) under [[Manmohan Singh]] formed a government the [[2004 Indian general election|2004 general elections]]. Subsequently, the UPA again formed the government after winning the [[2009 Indian general election|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, in the [[2014 Indian general election|2014 general election]], the Congress suffered a heavy defeat, winning only 44 seats of the 543-member [[Lok Sabha]] (the [[lower house]] of the [[Parliament of India]]). In the [[2019 Indian General election|2019 general election]], the party again suffered defeat, winning only 52 seats in the Lok Sabha.

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]].<ref name="centrist" /> The INC supports contemporary economic reforms such as [[Economic liberalization|liberalisation]], [[Privatization in India|privatisation]] and [[Economic globalization|globalization]]. A total of 61 people have served as 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 currently serving [[President of the Indian National Congress|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, 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 [[Congress Working Committee|Working Committee]] (CWC), [[Seva Dal]], [[Indian Youth Congress]] (IYC), [[Indian National Trade Union Congress]] (INTUC), and [[National Students' Union of India]] (NSUI).

== History ==
{{Main|History of the Indian National Congress}}

=== Foundation ===
{{See also|Indian independence movement}}
[[File:1st INC1885.jpg|thumb|alt= Leaders of the Congress Party gathered in 1885| First session of Indian National Congress, Bombay, 28–31 December 1885]]
During the latter part of the 1870s, there were concerted efforts among Indians to establish a [[Indian subcontinent|pan-Indian]] organization for nationalist political influence.<ref name="Gehlot 1991 35">{{cite book | last=Gehlot | first=N.S. | title=The Congress Party in India: Policies, Culture, Performance | publisher=Deep & Deep Publications | year=1991 | isbn=978-81-7100-306-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=06HLD2_3Qj4C&pg=PA35 | page=35|quote=The activities of Mr. A.O. Hume were pro – Indian and full of patriotic spirit for the youths.}}</ref> In 1883, [[Allan Octavian Hume]], a retired British [[Indian Civil Service (British India)|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]].<ref name="Gehlot 1991 35"/> The aim was to obtain 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.<ref name="First Session">{{cite book |title=The Nehrus: Motilal and Jawaharlal: With a New Preface |publisher=Oxford Academic |page=45 |url=https://academic.oup.com/book/12151/chapter-abstract/161561532?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=5 December 2023}}</ref> A notice convening the first meeting of the Indian National Union to be held in [[Poona]] the following December, was issued.<ref name=pattabhi>Sitaramayya, B. Pattabhi. 1935. The History of the Indian National Congress. Working Committee of the Congress. [https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianNationalCongress Scanned version]</ref> However, due to a [[cholera]] outbreak there it was moved to Bombay.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyoftheindi035503mbp/historyoftheindi035503mbp_djvu.txt |title=Full text of 'The History of the Indian National Congress' |publisher=The Working Committee of the Congress Madras |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfTheIndianNationalCongress|title=The History of the Indian National Congress (1885–1935)|last=Pattabhi Sita Ramaiah|date=1 November 2018|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Roots">{{cite web |title=Indian National Congress |url=https://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/indian-national-congress |access-date=30 March 2022 |publisher=[[The Open University]]}}</ref>

Hume organized the first meeting in Bombay with the approval of the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy]] [[Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava|Lord Dufferin]]. [[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee|Umesh Chandra Banerjee]] was the first president of Congress; the first session was attended by 72 delegates, representing each province of India.<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh |first=Kanishka |url=https://www.indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/lite/ |title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=5 December 2017 |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.rediff.com/news/report/cong/20061228.htm |title=Sonia sings Vande Mataram at Congress function – Rediff.com India News |publisher=Rediff.com |date=28 December 2006 |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> Notable representatives included Scottish [[Imperial Civil Service|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 [[Kashinath Trimbak Telang|K. T. Telang]], [[N. G. Chandavarkar]], [[Dinshaw Wacha]], [[Behramji Malabari]], journalist, and activist [[Gooty Kesava Pillai]], and [[P. Rangaiah Naidu]] of the [[Madras Mahajana Sabha]].<ref>{{cite book|pages=12–27 | title= The history of the Indian National Congress (1885–1935)|author=Sitaramayya, B. Pattabhi|publisher= Working Committee of the Congress|year=1935|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyoftheindi035503mbp#page/n41/mode/1up}}</ref><ref name="INC">{{cite book|first=Judith E.|last=Walsh|title=A Brief History of India|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1-4381-0825-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/briefhistoryofin0000wals/page/154 154]|year=2006|url=https://archive.org/details/briefhistoryofin0000wals/page/154}}</ref> 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,<ref name="SissonWolpert1988">{{cite book|author1=Richard Sisson|author2=Stanley A. Wolpert|title=Congress and Indian Nationalism: The Pre-independence Phase|url={{Google books|QfOSxFVQa8IC|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1988|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-06041-8|page=21|quote=Those fewer than 100 English-educated gentlemen of means and property, mostly lawyers and journalists, could hardly claim to 'represent' some 250 million illiterate impoverished peasants}}</ref> it functioned more as a stage for elite Indian ambitions than a political party for the first two decade of its existence.<ref name="SissonWolpert1988 2">{{cite book|author1=Richard Sisson|author2=Stanley A. Wolpert|title=Congress and Indian Nationalism: The Pre-independence Phase|url={{Google books|QfOSxFVQa8IC|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1988|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-06041-8|pages=22–23|quote=Without any funds or any secretariat, however (other than Hume) Congress remained, during its first decade at least, more of a sounding board for elite Indian aspirations than a political party.}}</ref>

=== Early years ===
[[File:Sri Aurobindo presiding over a meeting of the Nationalists after the Surat Congress, with Tilak speaking, 1907.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Early Nationalists|[[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]] speaking in 1907 as the Party split into moderates and extremists. Seated at the table is [[Aurobindo Ghosh]] and to his right (in the chair) is [[G. S. Khaparde]], both allies of Tilak.]]
<!--[[File:Gopal krishan gokhale.jpg|left|thumb|192x192px|[[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], a constitutional social reformer, moderate nationalist, and the president of the Indian National Congress in 1905]]-->

By 1905, two factions had emerged within the party, leading to different approaches and ideologies regarding the methods to achieve [[Swaraj|self-rule]] for India.
A division arose between 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.<ref name="Moderates">{{cite web |title=The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 |url=https://ncert.nic.in/ncerts/l/hess205.pdf |publisher=[[National Council of Educational Research and Training]] |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> They aimed to collaborate with British authorities and use constitutional means, such as petitions, resolutions, and dialogue, to address the grievances of Indians. On the other hand, the faction led by Extremist or Radical leaders, including [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]], [[Bipin Chandra Pal]], and [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], 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. They were less willing to compromise with the British and focused on building mass support and national unity to attain their objectives.<ref name="Extremists">{{cite web |title=Moderates, Extremists and Revolutionaries |url=https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/63798/1/Unit-13.pdf |publisher=[[Indira Gandhi National Open University]] |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>Stanley A. Wolpert, ''Tilak and Gokhale: Revolution and Reform in the Making of Modern India'' (1962) p 67</ref> However, the ideological differences between the extremists and moderates led to a deep divide. During its session held in Surat in December 1907, a split occurred between two factions within the Congress known as [[Surat Split]].<ref name="Surat Split">{{cite web |title=Surat Split, 1907 – History, Causes, Aftermath & Impact |url=https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/19929/1/Unit-10.pdf |publisher=eGyanKosh, IGNOU |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>

[[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 extremists. In 1915, during 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. Congress included several prominent political figures. [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], a member of the sister [[Indian National Association]], was elected president of the party in 1886 and was the first Indian Member of Parliament in the [[British House of Commons]] (1892–1895). Congress also included [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]], [[Bipin Chandra Pal]], [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], [[Gopal Krishna Gokhale]], and [[Mohammed Ali Jinnah]]. Jinnah was a member of the moderate group in the Congress, favouring [[Hindu–Muslim unity]] in achieving self-government.{{sfn|Mahendra Prasad Singh|1981|pp=41–42}} Later he became the leader of the [[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]] and instrumental in the [[Pakistan movement|creation of Pakistan]]. Congress was transformed into a mass movement by [[Surendranath Banerjee]] during the [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|partition of Bengal in 1905]], and the resultant [[Swadeshi movement]].<ref name="INC" />

=== Congress as a mass movement ===
<!--[[File:Gandhi spinning.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born to a Hindu family on 2nd October 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India|Mahatma Gandhi spinning yarn, in the late 1920s]]-->
[[File:Nehru gandhi.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru during a meeting of the All India Congress, in 1946]]
In 1915, [[Mahatma Gandhi]] returned from South Africa and joined Congress.<ref>{{cite book | last=Field | first=J.F. | title=Great Speeches in Minutes | publisher=[[Quercus]] | year=2019 | isbn=978-1-78747-722-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2jKKDwAAQBAJ | access-date=2023-02-04 | page=190}}</ref><ref name="Sailed 1915">{{cite web |title=Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi |url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mohandas-karamchand-gandhi |publisher=South African History Online |access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref> His efforts in South Africa were well known not only among 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 of 1918|Kheda Satyagraha]].<ref name="experiments">{{cite book |last1=Gandhi |first1=Mohandas Karamchand |title=My experiments with truth |date=1 February 1931 |publisher=Sarvodaya |location=Ahmedabad }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PJeKBAAAQBAJ&q=Barharwa&pg=PA158|title=Modern India 1886–1947|last=Sarkar|first=Sumit|year=2014|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=9789332540859}}</ref><ref name="Mill">{{cite journal |last1=Patel |first1=Sujata |title=Class Conflict and Workers' Movement in Ahmedabad Textile Industry, 1918–23 |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |year=1984 |volume=19 |issue=20/21 |pages=853–864 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4373280 |publisher=JSTOR |jstor=4373280 |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> After the [[First World War]], the party came to be associated with Gandhi, who remained its unofficial spiritual leader and icon.<ref name=M.Ghandi1>{{cite book|author1=Mahatma Gandhi|author-link1=Gandhi|title=The Gandhi Reader: A Sourcebook of His Life and Writings|publisher=Grove Press|isbn=978-0-8021-3161-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/gandhireadersou00gand/page/254 254]|year=1994|url=https://archive.org/details/gandhireadersou00gand/page/254}}</ref> He formed an alliance with the [[Khilafat Movement]] in 1920 as part of his opposition to British rule in India,<ref>{{cite book|title=The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction|page=29|author=Carl Olson|publisher=[[Rutgers University Press]]|year=2007|isbn=9780813540689 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RVWKClYq4TUC&pg=PA29}}</ref> and fought for the rights for Indians using civil disobedience or {{lang|hi|[[Satyagraha]]}} as the tool for agitation.<ref>Gail Minault, ''The Khilafat movement'' p 69</ref> In 1922, after the deaths of policemen at [[Chauri Chaura incident|Chauri Chaura]], Gandhi suspended the agitation.

With the help of the moderate group led by Gokhale, in 1924 Gandhi became president of Congress.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-was-gopal-krishna-gokhale-liberal-nationalist-mahatma-gandhi-6403225/ |title=Gopal Krishna Gokhale: The liberal nationalist regarded by Gandhi as his political guru |date=13 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents |date=5 December 2017}}</ref> 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]], [[C. Rajagopalachari|Chakravarti Rajgopalachari]], [[Anugrah Narayan Sinha]], [[Jayaprakash Narayan]], [[Jivatram Kripalani]], and [[Maulana Abul Kalam Azad]]. As 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.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/3517065|title=The Congress and the Revolutionaries in the 1920s |author1=Mittal, S. K.|author2=Habib, Irfan |year=1982 |journal=Social Scientist |volume=10 |issue=6 |pages=20–37 |via=JSTOR |doi=10.2307/3517065 |jstor=3517065|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1192&context=jvbl |doi=10.22543/0733.102.1192 |title=The Courage to Lead of Gandhi |year=2017 |last1=Iodice |first1=Emilio |journal=The Journal of Values-Based Leadership |volume=10 |issue=2|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/gandhiji-an-inspiration/article12542442.ece |title=Gandhiji – an inspiration |newspaper=The Hindu |date=1 October 2012}}</ref> Although its members were predominantly Hindu, it had members from other religions, economic classes, and ethnic and linguistic groups.<ref>{{cite book | last=Chandra | first=A.M. | title=India Condensed: 5,000 Years of History & Culture | publisher=Marshall Cavendish Corporation | year=2008 | isbn=978-981-261-975-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b7-IAAAAQBAJ | page=66}}</ref>

[[File:Flag of Indian National Congress.png|thumb|Flag adopted by INC, 1931]]
At the Congress 1929 Lahore session under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, {{lang|hi|[[Purna Swaraj]]}} (complete independence) was declared as the party's goal, declaring 26 January 1930 as {{lang|hi|Purna Swaraj Diwas}} (Independence Day).<ref name="Remarks">{{cite web |title=Declaration of Purna Swaraj (Indian National Congress, 1930) Clipboard |url=https://www.constitutionofindia.net/historical_constitutions/declaration_of_purna_swaraj__indian_national_congress__1930__26th%20January%201930 |publisher=CAD India |access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref> The same year, Srinivas Iyenger was expelled from the party for demanding full independence, not just [[home rule]] as demanded by Gandhi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mainbharathun.org/inc.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721001422/http://www.mainbharathun.org/inc.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2010 |title=Main Bharat Hun |publisher=Main Bharat Hun |access-date=3 May 2014 }}</ref>

After the passage of the [[Government of India Act 1935]], [[1937 Indian provincial elections|provincial elections]] were held in India in the winter of 1936–37 in eleven provinces: [[Madras Presidency|Madras]], [[Central Provinces]], Bihar, Orissa, [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]], [[Bombay Presidency]], Assam, NWFP, Bengal, Punjab, and Sindh. The final results of the elections were declared in February 1937.<ref name="Manglik2020">{{cite book|author=Rohit Manglik|title=SSC Sub Inspector CPO (Tier I and II) 2020|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cx_kDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA639|date=21 May 2020|publisher=EduGorilla|page=639|id=GGKEY:AWW79B82A9H}}</ref> The Indian National Congress gained power in eight of them – the three exceptions being Bengal, [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], and Sindh.<ref name="Manglik2020" /> The [[All-India Muslim League]] failed to form a Government in any Province.<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Muslims and Partition of India|publisher=Atlantic Publishers|isbn=9788171563746|page=240|author1=S. M. Ikram|year=1995|author1-link=S. M. Ikram}}</ref>

Congress [[Minister (government)|Ministers]] resigned in October and November 1939 in protest against Viceroy [[Lord Linlithgow]]'s declaration that India was a belligerent in the [[Second World War]] without consulting the [[Indian people]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=SN Sen|title=History Modern India|publisher=New Age International|isbn=9788122417746|page=202|year=2006}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|author=Dates of time spent in Britain:&nbsp;1919–21 |url=http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/subhas-chandra-bose |title=Subhas Chandra Bose &#124; |publisher=Open.ac.uk |access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> Congress was an umbrella organisation, sheltering radical socialists, traditionalists, and Hindu and [[Muslim conservatism|Muslim conservatives]].  [[Mahatma Gandhi]] expelled all the socialist groupings, including the [[Congress Socialist Party]], the [[Krishak Sramik Party|Krishak Praja Party]], and the [[Swaraj Party]], along with [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], in 1939.<ref name=M.Ghandi1 />

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 speech|Quit India]] movement delivered in Bombay on 8 August 1942 at the [[Gowalia Tank|Gowalia Tank Maidan]] and opposed any help to the British in [[World War 2]].<ref>{{cite book | last1=Green | first1=J. | last2=Della-Rovere | first2=C. | title=Gandhi and the Quit India Movement | publisher=Pearson Education Limited | series=Days of Decision | year=2014 | isbn=978-1-4062-6156-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5ZqcY_E5Z0C&pg=PA33 | page=33}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book | last=Marques | first=J. | title=The Routledge Companion to Inclusive Leadership | publisher=Taylor & Francis | series=Routledge Companions in Business, Management and Marketing | year=2020 | isbn=978-1-000-03965-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vCrXDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT403| page=403}}</ref> A number of violent attacks were also carried out by the nationalists against the British government.<ref name="Anderson"/> The movement played a role in weakening the control over the South Asian region by the British regime and ultimately paved the way for Indian independence.<ref name=Anderson>{{cite book | last1=Anderson | first1=D. | last2=Killingray | first2=D. | title=Policing and Decolonisation: Politics, Nationalism, and the Police, 1917–65 | publisher=Manchester University Press | series=Studies in imperialism | year=1992 | isbn=978-0-7190-3033-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rni7AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA51 | quote=Britain's hold over India weakened and an early resumption of Congress rule appeared inevitable| page=51}}</ref><ref name=herman467>{{cite book|author=Arthur Herman|title=Gandhi & Churchill: The Epic Rivalry that Destroyed an Empire and Forged Our Age|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tquxD6dk914C|year=2008|publisher=[[Random House]]|isbn=978-0-553-90504-5|pages=467–70|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913065817/http://books.google.com/books?id=tquxD6dk914C|archive-date=13 September 2014}}</ref>

In 1945, when World War 2 almost came to an end, the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party of the United Kingdom]] won elections with a promise to provide independence to India.<ref>{{cite book | last=Studlar | first=D.T. | title=Great Britain: Decline Or Renewal? | publisher=Taylor & Francis | year=2018 | isbn=978-0-429-96865-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qQDFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA117 | page=117|quote=The Labour Party promised independence for India in its campaign in the general election of 1945.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Ram | first=J. | title=V.K. Krishna Menon: A Personal Memoir | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1997 | isbn=978-0-19-564228-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PSFuAAAAMAAJ | page=76|quote= Labour Party had promised freedom for India if they came to power }}</ref> The jailed political prisoners of the Quit India movement were released in the same year.<ref>{{cite book|title=Right to Property in India|page=36|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|year=1990|author=Naveen Sharma}}</ref>

[[File:Gandhi, Patel and Maulana Azad Sept 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Moderate INC leaders during a meet|[[Abul Kalam Azad|Azad]], [[Sardar Patel|Patel]] and [[Mahatma Gandhi|Gandhi]] at an AICC meeting in Bombay, 1940]]
In 1946, the British tried the soldiers of Japanese-sponsored [[Indian National Army]] in the [[INA trials]]. In response, Congress helped form 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barcouncilofindia.org/about/about-the-legal-profession/lawyers-in-the-indian-freedom-movement/ |title=Lawyers in the Indian Freedom Movement – The Bar Council of India |publisher=Barcouncilofindia.org |access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> The [[British Empire]] eventually backtracked in the face of opposition by the Congress.<ref>{{cite book|last=Moreman|first=Tim|title=The Jungle, Japanese and the British Commonwealth Armies at War, 1941–45: Fighting Methods, Doctrine and Training for Jungle Warfare|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bsoy_-Ep_0EC|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-76456-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Marston|first=Daniel|title=The Indian Army and the End of the Raj|series=Cambridge Studies in Indian History and Society, 23|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2014|isbn=978-0-521-89975-8|author-link=Daniel Marston (historian)}}</ref>

== Post-independence ==
After Indian independence in 1947, the Indian National Congress became the dominant political party in the country. In 1952, in the [[1951 Indian general election|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 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/captains-musings/new-year-aspirations-can-india-hope-for-a-centrist-progressive-liberal-party/ |title=New year aspirations – Can India hope for a centrist progressive liberal party? |date=28 December 2015 |work=The Times of India |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> 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]], [[All India Trinamool Congress|Trinamool Congress]] and [[Aam Aadmi Party]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Why India's opposition is nearly irrelevant |url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2017/04/28/why-indias-opposition-is-nearly-irrelevant |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |access-date=6 June 2018 |date=28 April 2017}}</ref>

A post-[[Partition of India|partition]] successor to 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.<ref name="A">{{cite book|title=Major governments of Asia|author=George McTurnan Kahin, Harold C. Hinton|publisher=[[Cornell University]] Press|page=439|year=1958}}</ref><ref name="B">{{cite book|title=Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations: Asia and Australasia|author=Moshe Y. Sachs|publisher=Worldmark Press|year=1967}}</ref><ref name="C">{{cite book|title=War and Secession: Pakistan, India and the Creation of Bangladesh|author=Richard Sisson, Leo E. Rose|publisher=University of California Press|pages=1–15|year=1991|isbn=978-0-520-07665-5}}</ref>

=== Nehru and Shastri era (1947–1966) ===
{{see also|Premiership of Lal Bahadur Shastri}}
[[File:Nehrucon.jpg|thumb|alt=See caption |[[Jawaharlal Nehru]] signing the [[Indian Constitution]] c.1950]]
From 1951 until his death in 1964, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] was the paramount leader of the party. Congress gained power in landslide victories in the general elections of 1951–52, 1957, and 1962.<ref name=career>{{cite web|title=Nehru Years in Indian Politics|url=http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/38480/WP16_Suranjan_Das.pdf |author=Suranjan Das |year=2001 |publisher=School of Social and Political Science, Edinburgh|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105051/http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/38480/WP16_Suranjan_Das.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="economic policy">{{cite web|title=Economic Ideology of Jawaharlal Nehru|url=http://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1964_16/29-30-31/economic_ideology_of_jawaharlal_nehru.pdf |publisher=Economic and Political Weekly|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> He believed the establishment of basic and heavy industries was fundamental to the development and modernisation of the Indian economy.<ref name=career /> The Nehru government directed investment primarily into key public sector industries—steel, iron, coal, and power—promoting their development with subsidies and protectionist policies.<ref name="economic policy" /> Nehru embraced secularism, [[socialistic]] economic practices based on state-driven industrialisation, and a [[Non-Aligned Movement|non-aligned]] and non-confrontational foreign policy that became typical of the modern Congress Party.<ref name=root>{{cite news|title=History of Indian Economy Part II|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-why-jawaharlal-nehru-is-the-root-cause-of-indias-economic-troubles-1564479|access-date=23 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |date=11 July 2011}}</ref> The policy of non-alignment during the [[Cold War]] meant Nehru received financial and technical support from both the [[Eastern Bloc|Eastern]] and [[Western Bloc]]s to build India's industrial base from nothing.<ref name=movement>{{cite news|title=Nehru: Founding member of The non-aligned movement|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/574242.stm|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name=Non-Aligned>{{cite web|title=History and Evolution of Non-Aligned Movement|url=http://mea.gov.in/in-focus-article.htm?20349/History+and+Evolution+of+NonAligned+Movement|website=mea.gov.in|publisher=Ministry of External Affairs, [[Government of India]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref>

During his period in office, there were four known assassination attempts on Nehru.<ref name="Sahgal2010">{{cite book|author=Nayantara Sahgal|title=Jawaharlal Nehru: Civilizing a Savage World|url={{Google books|KycnN-MlfY4C|page=PA58|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-670-08357-2|page=58}}</ref> The first attempt on his life was during partition in 1947 while he was visiting the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–2010)|North-West Frontier Province]] in a car. The second was by a knife-wielding rickshaw-puller in Maharashtra in 1955.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite book|author=Nayantara Sahgal|title=Jawaharlal Nehru: Civilizing a Savage World|url={{Google books|KycnN-MlfY4C|page=PA58|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-670-08357-2|page=60}}</ref> A third attempt happened in [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] in 1956.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite book|author=Nayantara Sahgal|title=Jawaharlal Nehru: Civilizing a Savage World|url={{Google books|KycnN-MlfY4C|page=PA58|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 2010|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=978-0-670-08357-2|page=61}}</ref> The fourth was a failed bombing attempt on railway tracks in Maharashtra in 1961.<ref name="Sahgal2010" /> Despite threats to his life, Nehru despised having excess security personnel around him and did not like his movements to disrupt traffic.<ref name="Sahgal2010" /> [[K. Kamaraj]] became the president of the [[All India Congress Committee]] in 1963 during the last year of Nehru's life.<ref name=life>{{cite web|title=K. Kamaraj – Life History|publisher=The Perun Thalaivar organization|url=http://www.perunthalaivar.org/english/life-history/|website=perunthalaivar.org|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-date=5 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705202836/http://www.perunthalaivar.org/english/life-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Prior to that, he had been the chief minister of [[Tamil Nadu|Madras state]] for nine years.<ref name=Kingmakers>{{cite web|title=The Syndicate: Kingmakers of India |url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2003/fjul2003/f150720031.html|website=pib.nic.in|publisher=Press Information Bureau: [[Government of India]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> 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.{{sfn|Mahendra Prasad Singh|1981|p=46}}<ref name="Jeyaraman2013">{{cite book|author=Bala Jeyaraman|title=Kamaraj: The Life and Times of K. Kamaraj|url={{Google books|BqWeAwAAQBAJ|page=PT55|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=2 September 2013 |publisher=Rupa Publications |isbn=978-81-291-3227-7|pages=55–56}}</ref><ref name="Gehlot1991">{{cite book|author=N. S. Gehlot|title=The Congress Party in India: Policies, Culture, Performance|url={{Google books|06HLD2_3Qj4C|page=PA177|plainurl=yes}} |year=1991|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|isbn=978-81-7100-306-8|page=180}}</ref>

In 1964, Nehru [[Death and state funeral of Jawaharlal Nehru|died]] because of an [[aortic dissection]], raising questions about the party's future.<ref name=death>{{cite news|title=The death of Nehru|work=The Guardian archive|date=28 May 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/may/28/death-of-nehru-archive-1964|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="Nehru death">{{cite web|title=Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nehru_jawaharlal.shtml|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="Nehru dies">{{cite news|title=1964: Light goes out in India as Nehru dies|publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/27/newsid_3690000/3690019.stm |access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Interim PM">{{cite web |title=Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-gulzari-lal-nanda-2/ |publisher=PMO India |access-date=24 July 2021}}</ref> 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 the Prime Minister. Kamaraj was widely credited as the "kingmaker" in for ensuring the victory of [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] over Morarji Desai.{{sfn|Mahendra Prasad Singh|1981|p=42}}
[[File:Inauguration of MNREC Building Allahabad by Indian PM Shri Lal Bahadur Shashtri.JPG|thumb|Inauguration of MNREC Building Allahabad by [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]]]]
As prime minister, Shastri retained most of members of Nehru's [[Council of Ministers of the Republic of India|Council of Ministers]]; [[T. T. Krishnamachari]] was retained as [[Finance Minister of India]], as was Defence Minister [[Yashwantrao Chavan]].<ref name="PradhanGodbole1999">{{cite book|author1=R. D. Pradhan|author2=Madhav Godbole|title=Debacle to Revival: Y. B. Chavan as Defence Minister, 1962–65|url={{Google books|9vDvpB_sqB0C|page=PA15|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 1999|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-1477-5|page=17}}</ref> Shastri appointed [[Swaran Singh]] to succeed him as [[External Affairs Minister]].<ref name="Affairs2008">{{cite book|author=Arvind Panagariya Professor of Economics and Jagdish Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs|title=India: The Emerging Giant: The Emerging Giant|url={{Google books|6eO1-yP7o4MC|page=PA27|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 February 2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-804299-0|page=27}}</ref> [[Lal Bahadur Shastri|Shastri]] appointed [[Indira Gandhi]], Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter and former party president, [[Minister of Information and Broadcasting]].<ref name=ministry>{{cite web|title=History and Politics of India|url=https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Indira.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991112105947/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Indira.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 November 1999|website=socialsciences.ucla.edu|publisher=UCLA Division of Social Sciences|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> Gulzarilal Nanda continued as the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]].<ref name="home affairs">{{cite web|title=Biography of Gulzarilal Nanda |url=http://pmindia.gov.in/pm_gulzari.html |website=pmindia.gov.in|publisher=Prime Minister's Office |access-date=23 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828142039/http://pmindia.gov.in/pm_gulzari.html |archive-date=28 August 2012 }}</ref> As [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]], Shastri continued Nehru's policy of [[Non-aligned Movement|non-alignment]],<ref name="NarayanShastri2006">{{cite book|author1=Narayan Agrawal Narayan|author2=Lal Bahadur Shastri|author3=Vivek Misra|author4=Subha Ravi|title=Lal Bahadur Shastri, Churn of Conscience|url={{Google books|Lwoae1jbcc0C|page=PA100|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2006|publisher=Eternal Gandhi|isbn=978-81-231-0193-4|page=88}}</ref> 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 the production and supply of milk by creating the [[National Dairy Development Board]].<ref name=Revolution>{{cite web|title=The White Revolution: A beginning|url=http://www.unicef.org/india/media_2643.htm|website=unicef.org|publisher=[[UNICEF]]|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-date=19 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819085943/http://www.unicef.org/india/media_2643.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Madras anti-Hindi agitation of 1965 occurred during Shastri's tenure.<ref name="Dasgupta1970">{{cite book|author=Jyotirindra Dasgupta|title=Language Conflict and National Development: Group Politics and National Language Policy in India|url={{Google books|qGACL5YJRjEC|page=PA237|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1970|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-01590-6|page=237}}</ref><ref name=conflict>{{cite journal|title=The Madras anti-Hindi agitation|journal=Pacific Affairs|volume=39|issue=1/2|pages=19–36|publisher=Digital library of academic journals|jstor=2755179|last1=Forrester|first1=Duncan B.|year=1966|doi=10.2307/2755179}}</ref>

Shastri became a national hero following victory in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]].<ref name=war>{{cite web|title=The Indo-Pakistan war of 1965|url=http://indiannavy.nic.in/book/1965-indo-pakistan-war|website=indiannavy.nic.in|publisher=[[Indian Navy]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> His slogan, "[[Jai Jawan Jai Kisan]]" ("Hail the soldier, Hail the farmer"), became very popular during the war.<ref name=slogan>{{cite news|title=Life of Lal Bahadur Shastri|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/life-of-lal-bahadur-shastri-to-be-captured-on-celluloid-113032600267_1.html|access-date=23 June 2014|work=[[Business Standard]]|agency=Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP) Group|publisher=[[ABP Group|Ananda Publishers]]|date=26 March 2013}}</ref> On 11 January 1966, a day after signing the [[Tashkent Declaration]], Shastri died in Tashkent, reportedly of a heart attack; but the circumstances of his death remain mysterious.<ref name=controversy>{{cite web|title=Controversial death of Shastri|url=http://www.wikileaks-forum.com/india/68/dead-silence-on-the-killers-and-contract-killers-of-lal-bahadur-shastri/8620/|website=wikileaks-forum.com|publisher=Wikileaks Forum|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140501224743/http://www.wikileaks-forum.com/india/68/dead-silence-on-the-killers-and-contract-killers-of-lal-bahadur-shastri/8620/|archive-date=1 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="diminutive leader">{{cite web|title=Lal Bahadur Shastri's death in Tashkent|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2009/08/was_mr_shastri_murdered.html|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name=Shashtri>{{cite web|title=Lal Bahadur Shastri |url=https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Shastri.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000422080114/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Shastri.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 April 2000|website=socialsciences.ucla.edu/|publisher=UCLA Division of Social Science|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> 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]].

=== Indira Gandhi era (1966–1984) ===
{{See also|The Emergency (India)|Assassination of Indira Gandhi|Indian general election, 1977|1984 anti-Sikh riots}}
[[File:Indira and Nixon.JPG|thumb|upright|left|[[Indira Gandhi]] with U.S. President [[Richard Nixon]], 1971]]
In 1967, following 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Austin |first=Granville |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r42bAAAAMAAJ |title=Working a Democratic Constitution: The Indian Experience |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1999 |isbn=0195648889 |pages=178}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Unnati |date=2022-08-10 |title=V.V. Giri – how election of first 'independent president' changed Congress & India's politics |url=https://theprint.in/politics/v-v-giri-how-election-of-first-independent-president-changed-congress-indias-politics/1077753/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=ThePrint}}</ref>

In mid-1969, she 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]]{{sfn|Mahendra Prasad Singh|1981|pp=65–80}}<ref>Hardgrave, R. L., 1970. "The Congress in India: Crisis and Split". ''Asian Survey'', 10(3), pp. 256–262.</ref> and Gandhi's abrupt nationalisation of the 14 biggest banks in India.

====Congress split, 1969====
In November 1969, the Congress party president, [[S. Nijalingappa]], expelled Indira Gandhi from the party for indiscipline.<ref name=socialism>{{cite news |title=March to socialism under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi|work=[[The Economic Times]]|agency=Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd|date=24 August 2011}}</ref><ref name=expelled>{{cite news|title=1969: S. Nijalingappa expelled Indira Gandhi from the Party|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/1969-congress-splits/1/155566.html|access-date=25 June 2014|work=[[India Today]]|publisher=Aroon Purie|date=2 July 2007}}</ref> Subsequently, Gandhi launched her own faction of the INC which came to be known as Congress (R).{{efn|The "R" stood for Requisition or Ruling}} The original party then came to be known as [[Congress (O)|Indian National Congress (O)]].{{efn|The "O" stands for organisation/Old Congress.}} Its principal leaders were Kamraj, Morarji Desai, Nijalingappa and [[S. K. Patil]] who stood for a more right-wing agenda.<ref name="book">{{cite book|last=Sanghvi|first=Vijay |title=The Congress, Indira to Sonia Gandh|year=2006|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-7835-340-1|page=77|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npdqD_TXucQC&q=%22indira+gandhi%22+cow++calf+symbol&pg=PA77}}</ref> The split occurred when a united opposition under the banner of [[Samyukt Vidhayak Dal]], won control over several states in the [[Hindi Belt]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npdqD_TXucQC&q=%22indira+gandhi%22+cow++calf+symbol&pg=PA77|title=The Congress, Indira to Sonia Gandhi |first=Vijay|last=Sanghvi|date=21 March 2006|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|isbn=9788178353401|via=Google Books}}</ref> Indira Gandhi, on the other side, wanted to use a populist agenda in order to mobilise popular support for the party.<ref name=book /> Her faction, called Congress (R), was supported by most of the Congress MPs while [[Indian National Congress (Organisation)|the original party]] had the support of only 65 MPs.<ref name="Rosser">{{Cite book|publisher = MIT Press| pages = 468–470| url={{Google books|y3Mr6TgalqMC|page=PA470|plainurl=yes}} |isbn=978-0-262-18234-8| last1=Rosser| first1=J. Barkley| last2=Rosser| first2=Marina V.| title=Comparative Economics in Transforming the World Economy| year=2004}}</ref> 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 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&nbsp;(O) eventually merged with other opposition parties to form the [[Janata Party]].
{{quote box|bgcolor=#CCDDFF|width=25%|align=right|quote="India might be an ancient country but was a young democracy and as such should remain vigilant against the domination of few over 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."|source=—Gandhi's remarks after the nationalisation of private banks.<ref name="Quote">{{cite news |last1=Menon |first1=Vandana |title='We simply don't have time': Read Indira Gandhi's letters defending bank nationalisation |url=https://theprint.in/politics/letters-indira-gandhi-defending-bank-nationalisation/17110/ |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=ThePrint |agency=Printline Media Pvt. Ltd |date=16 November 2017}}</ref>}}  
In the mid-term [[1971 Indian general election]], the Gandhi-led Congress&nbsp;(R) won a landslide victory on a platform of progressive policies such as the elimination of poverty ({{lang|hi|[[Garibi Hatao]]}}).<ref name="1971 result">{{cite web|title=General Elections, India, 1971: Statistical report |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/statisticalreports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |website=eci.nic.in |publisher=[[Election Commission of India]] |access-date=25 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175452/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014 }}</ref> The policies of the Congress&nbsp;(R) under Gandhi before the 1971 elections included proposals to abolish the [[Privy Purse in India|Privy Purse]] to former rulers of the [[Princely states]], and the 1969 [[Nationalization|nationalisation]] of India's 14 largest banks.<ref name=nationalisation>{{cite news|title=Economic Milestone: Nationalisation of Banks (1969)|url=http://forbesindia.com/article/independence-day-special/economic-milestone-nationalisation-of-banks-(1969)/38415/1|access-date=17 September 2015|work=[[Forbes India]]|date=17 September 2015|archive-date=29 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029061931/http://forbesindia.com/article/independence-day-special/economic-milestone-nationalisation-of-banks-(1969)/38415/1|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 of the Constitution of India|Twenty-sixth Amendment]] to 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 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.<ref name="Bank Act">{{cite web |title=The Defining Event |url=https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/PDFs/90069.pdf |publisher=[[Reserve Bank of India]] |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> In July 1969, Indira Gandhi through the ordinance nationalised fourteen major private banks.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ChrzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA20 |title=Banking Awareness |date=2017 |publisher=Arihant Publications (India) Ltd. |page=20 |isbn=978-93-11124-66-7}}</ref> After being re-elected in 1971 on a campaign that endorsed nationalisation, Indira Gandhi went on to nationalise the coal, steel, copper, refining, cotton textiles and insurance industries. The main reason was to protect employment and the interest of the organised labour.<ref name="Bank Act" />

On 12 June 1975, the [[Allahabad High Court|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.<ref name=emergency>{{cite web|title=The Emergency, and Indian democracy|url=https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Indira.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991112105947/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Indira.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 November 1999|website=sscnet.ucla.edu|publisher=UCLA Division of Social Science|access-date=25 June 2014}}</ref> However, Gandhi rejected calls to resign and announced plans to appeal to the [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]]. In response to increasing disorder and lawlessness, Gandhi's ministry recommended that President [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]] declare a [[State of Emergency in India|State of Emergency]], based on the provisions of [[Part Eleven of the Constitution of India|Article 352]] of the [[Constitution of India|Constitution]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Emergency papers found |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/deep-focus/Emergency-papers-found/articleshow/20839450.cms |website=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=6 June 2018 |date=30 June 2013}}</ref> During the [[The Emergency (India)|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.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ghildiyal|first=Subodh |title=Cong blames Sanjay Gandhi for Emergency 'excesses'|date=29 December 2010|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-29/india/28661327_1_slum-clearance-sanjay-gandhi-sterilization|access-date=30 January 2014 |url-status=dead|archive-date=28 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828145401/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-29/india/28661327_1_slum-clearance-sanjay-gandhi-sterilization|journal=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Express News Service|title=Emergency 'propagandist' who banned Kishore Kumar songs |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/emergency-propagandist-who-banned-kishore-kumar-songs/1127804/ |access-date=17 January 2014|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=11 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="The Life of Indira Gandhi">{{cite journal |last=Dasgupta |first=Swapan |title=The Life of Indira Gandhi |date=July 1985 |volume=7 |issue=3 |journal=Third World Quarterly |department=Book Reviews |doi=10.1080/01436598508419863 |pages=731–778}}<!--|access-date=17 January 2014 --></ref> Implemented on 25 June 1975, the Emergency officially ended on 21 March 1977.<ref name=proved>{{cite news| author=Inder Malhotra|title=What Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's Emergency proved for India|date=23 June 2010 |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/column/inder-malhotra-on-35-years-after-the-emergency/20100623.htm |access-date=25 June 2014|publisher=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref> All political prisoners were released and fresh elections for the Lok Sabha were called.<ref name=union>{{cite web|title=Indian general election, 1977|url=http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/INDIA_1977_E.PDF |website=ipu.org|publisher=Inter-Parliamentary Union|access-date=25 June 2014}}</ref> In [[1977 Indian general election|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]].

====Formation of Congress (I)====
On 2 January 1978, Indira and her followers seceded and formed a new opposition party, popularly called Congress&nbsp;(I)—the "I" signifying Indira.<ref>"On 1 and 2 January dissidents led by Indira Gandhi staged convention of what they claimed was "the real Congress." Mrs. Gandhi was elected President of the body, which promptly laid claim to the offices, funds and even the electoral symbol of the Indian National Congress. These claims were, unsurprisingly, resisted by Y.B. Chavan and his group, who had controlled Congress since the I977 election. Initial reports varied but it seemed that no more than a third of the State Congress Committees sided with the Indira Gandhi faction." {{cite journal |last=Mendelsohn |first=Oliver |title=The Collapse of the Indian National Congress |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=58 |number=1 |year=1978 |page=65 |doi=10.2307/2757008 |jstor=2757008}}</ref> During the next year, her new party attracted enough members of the legislature to become the official opposition.<ref name="Basu2016">{{cite book|last1=Basu |first1=Manisha |title=The Rhetoric of Hindutva|year=2016 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-14987-8 |pages=73– |url={{Google books|E7gtDQAAQBAJ |page=PA73|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> In November 1978, Gandhi regained a parliamentary seat. In January 1980, following a [[1980 Indian general election|landslide victory]] for Congress&nbsp;(I), she was again elected prime minister.<ref name="1980 report">{{cite web |title=Statistical report general elections, 1980 |website=eci.nic.in |publisher=[[Election Commission of India]] |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/statisticalreports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf |access-date=25 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175926/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> The national election commission declared Congress&nbsp;(I) to be the real Indian National Congress for the [[1984 Indian general election|1984 general election]].{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} However, the designation '''I''' was dropped only in 1996.<ref name="Basu2016" /><ref name="1980 report" />

====Punjab crisis====
Gandhi's premiership witnessed increasing turmoil in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], with demands for [[Khalistan|Sikh autonomy]] by [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] and his militant followers.<ref name=operation>{{cite news|title=Operation Blue Star 1984|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-7-things-you-need-to-know-about-operation-blue-star-1993952|access-date=25 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|agency=[[Dainik Bhaskar]]|publisher=Deepak Rathi|date=6 June 2014}}</ref> In 1983, Bhindranwale with his armed followers headquartered themselves in the [[Harmandir Sahib|Golden Temple]] in [[Amritsar]] and started accumulating weapons.<ref name="telegraph report">{{cite news|title=1984: Operation Blue Star|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10881115/Operation-Blue-Star-How-an-Indian-army-raid-on-the-Golden-Temple-ended-in-disaster.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10881115/Operation-Blue-Star-How-an-Indian-army-raid-on-the-Golden-Temple-ended-in-disaster.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=6 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In June 1984, after several futile negotiations, Gandhi ordered 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]].<ref name="blue star">{{cite news|title=Operation Blue Star|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/operation-blue-star-the-untold-story/article4798102.ece|access-date=25 June 2014|work=The Hindu|date=10 June 2013}}</ref> On 31 October 1984, two of Gandhi's bodyguards, [[Satwant Singh]] and [[Beant Singh (assassin)|Beant Singh]], [[assassination of Indira Gandhi|shot her]] with their service weapons in the garden of the prime minister's residence in response to her authorisation of Operation Blue Star.<ref name="telegraph report" /> Gandhi was due to be interviewed by British actor [[Peter Ustinov]], who was filming a documentary for Irish television.<ref name=assassination>{{cite news|title=1984: Indian prime minister shot dead|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/31/newsid_2464000/2464423.stm|access-date=23 June 2014|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=31 October 1984}}</ref> Her assassination prompted the [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]], during which 3,000–17,000 people were killed.<ref name=violence>{{cite news|title=Violence follows Gandhi killing|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="SAGE">{{cite book |last=Joseph |first=Paul |title=The SAGE Encyclopedia of War: Social Science Perspectives |date=11 October 2016 |publisher=SAGE |isbn=978-1483359885 |page=433 |quote=around 17,000 Sikhs were burned alive or killed}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Dean |date=30 January 2014 |title=Delhi to reopen inquiry in to massacre of Sikhs in 1984 riots |website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10607451/Delhi-to-reopen-inquiry-in-to-massacre-of-Sikhs-in-1984-riots.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=3 May 2016 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10607451/Delhi-to-reopen-inquiry-in-to-massacre-of-Sikhs-in-1984-riots.html |archive-date=12 January 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jagdish Tytler's role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots to be re-investigated |url=http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-sheet/jagdish-tytlers-role-in-1984-anti-sikh-riots-to-be-re-investigated-518648 |access-date=3 May 2016 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

=== Rajiv Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao era (1984–1998) ===
{{See also|Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War|Economic liberalisation in India}}
[[File:The Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi addressing the Special Session of the United nations on Disarmament, in New York in June, 1988 (1).jpg|thumb|right|alt=refer caption|[[Rajiv Gandhi]] , [[Prime Minister of India]] (1984–1989) addressing the Special Session of the United Nations on [[United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs|Disarmament]], in New York City in June 1988]]
In 1984, Indira Gandhi's son [[Rajiv Gandhi]] became nominal head of Congress, and went on to become prime minister upon her assassination.<ref name="pm rajiv">{{cite web|title=Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, complete profile |url=http://pmindia.gov.in/pm_rajiv.html |website=pmindia.gov.in|publisher=Prime Minister's Office |access-date=23 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901121841/http://pmindia.gov.in/pm_rajiv.html |archive-date=1 September 2012 }}</ref> In December, he led Congress to a landslide victory, where it secured 401 seats in the legislature.<ref name="1984 election result">{{cite web|title=India General or the 8th Lok Sabha Election Results – 1984|url=http://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1984-election-results.html|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> His administration took measures to reform the government bureaucracy and liberalise the country's economy.<ref name=tenure>{{cite news|title=Resurgent India|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-hamid-ansari-launches-book-resurgent-india-glimpses-of-rajiv-gandhi-vision-of-india-1955270|access-date=23 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=22 January 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref name=movements>{{cite web|title=Rajiv Gandhi and the story of Indian modernization|url=http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/NYPeyCrc6NyfwmlxqjtumJ/Rajiv-Gandhi-and-the-story-of-Indian-modernization.html|website=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]|date=19 May 2013 |access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> Gandhi was regarded as a non-abrasive person who consulted other party members and refrained from hasty decisions.<ref name=consult>{{cite web|title=Rajiv Gandhi, History and Politics|url=https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Rajiv.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226203915/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/Rajiv.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 February 2000|website=UCLA, Division of Social Sciences|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref> The [[Bofors scandal]] damaged his reputation as an honest politician, but he was posthumously cleared of bribery allegations in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3458319.stm |title=Rajiv Gandhi cleared over bribery |publisher=BBC News |date=4 February 2004 |access-date=7 March 2010}}</ref> On 21 May 1991, Gandhi was killed by a bomb concealed in a basket of flowers carried by a woman associated with the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|Tamil Tigers]].<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|title=The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzdoMbYnb7w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/CzdoMbYnb7w| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|author=NDTV India|via = YouTube|access-date=21 June 2014|author-link = NDTV India}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was campaigning in Tamil Nadu for upcoming parliamentary elections. In 1998, an Indian court convicted 26 people in the conspiracy to assassinate Gandhi.<ref name=kiled>{{cite news|title=Rajiv Gandhi assassination case|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajiv-Gandhi-assassination-case-SC-stays-release-of-4-convicts-issues-notice-to-Tamil-Nadu-govt/articleshow/31089717.cms|access-date=21 June 2014|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=27 February 2014}}</ref> The conspirators, who consisted of Tamil militants from Sri Lanka and their Indian allies, had sought revenge against Gandhi because the Indian troops he sent to Sri Lanka in 1987 to help enforce [[Indo-Sri Lanka Accord|a peace accord]] there had fought with Tamil Militant guerrillas.<ref name="RajuRaju2008">{{cite book|author1=D. R. Kaarthikenyan, Radhavinod Raju|author2=Radhavinod Raju|title=Rajiv Gandhi Assassination|url={{Google books|7MqfCkBGdQ8C|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=2008|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|isbn=978-81-207-3265-0|pages=89–91}}</ref><ref name=Murder>{{cite news|title=SC refers Rajiv Gandhi killers' release case to Constitution Bench|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-case-supreme-court/|access-date=21 June 2014|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=25 April 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC.jpg|thumb|left|alt=refer caption|Visit of erstwhile Minister for Foreign Affairs, [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]] to [[Gaston Thorn]], the then [[President of the European Commission]]]]
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.<ref name=rao>{{cite web|title=PV Narasimha Rao Biography |url=http://pmindia.nic.in/pm_narasimha.html |website=Website of the Prime Minister of India |access-date=23 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227115219/http://pmindia.nic.in/pm_narasimha.html |archive-date=27 December 2012 }}</ref> His rise to the prime ministership 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 (Lok Sabha constituency)|Nandyal]] in Andhra Pradesh.<ref name="Rao AP Won">{{cite news |last1=Lakshman |first1=Ganesh |title=Nandyal bypoll: It was P V Narasimha Rao's backyard when he .. |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amaravati/it-was-p-v-narasimha-raos-backyard-when-he-was-the-pm/articleshow/60168304.cms |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=[[The Times of India]]|date=22 August 2017}}</ref> His administration oversaw major [[Economic liberalisation in India|economic change]] and experienced several domestic incidents that affected India's national security.<ref name="Reforming">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4120429.stm "Narasimha Rao – a Reforming PM"]. [[BBC News]] (23 December 2004). Retrieved 2 March 2007.</ref> Rao, who held the [[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)|Industries portfolio]], was personally responsible for the dismantling of the [[Licence Raj]], which came under the purview of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.<ref name="DNAArticle">Arvind Kumar, Arun Narendhranath (3 October 2001). [http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column_india-must-embrace-unfettered-free-enterprise_1594401 "India must embrace unfettered free enterprise"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312095826/http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column_india-must-embrace-unfettered-free-enterprise_1594401 |date=12 March 2013 }}. ''[[Daily News and Analysis]]''.</ref> Rao accelerated the dismantling of the Licence Raj, reversing the socialist policies of previous governments.<ref name=reinvention>{{cite web|title=PV Narasimha Rao reinvented India|url=http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/pv-narasimha-rao-reinvented-india-so-why-is-he-the-forgotten-man|website=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]]|date=19 May 2012 |location=Abu Dhabi|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="policies by rao">{{cite web|title=Foreign Policies of India's Prime Ministers|url=http://www.transnational-perspectives.org/transnational/articles/article495.pdf|website=Transnational Organization|access-date=23 June 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230255/http://www.transnational-perspectives.org/transnational/articles/article495.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 [[1991 India economic crisis|economic collapse]].<ref name="DNAArticle" /> Future prime ministers [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] and Manmohan Singh continued the economic reform policies begun by Rao's government. He is often called the "Father of Indian economic reforms".<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/tibetan/archive/2004-12/a-2004-12-23-2-1.cfm "PV Narasimha Rao Remembered as Father of Indian Economic Reforms"]. ''[[VOA News]]'' (23 December 2004). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129203559/http://www.voanews.com/tibetan/archive/2004-12/a-2004-12-23-2-1.cfm |date=29 January 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Narasimha Rao was father of economic reform: Pranab">{{cite news|title=Narasimha Rao led India at crucial juncture, was father of economic reform: Pranab|access-date=25 January 2013|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-31/india/36078990_1_economic-reforms-president-pranab-mukherjee-finance-minister|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520071110/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-31/india/36078990_1_economic-reforms-president-pranab-mukherjee-finance-minister|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 May 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|date= 31 December 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref name="frontline">{{cite journal |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20050114008013000.htm&date=fl2201/&prd=fline& |title=Obituary: A scholar and a politician|author=V. Venkatesan |journal=Frontline |volume=22 |issue=1 |date=1–14 January 2005 |access-date=30 March 2010}}{{dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>[http://www.tlca.com/adults/obit-pvn.html "PV Narasimha Rao Passes Away"]. Retrieved 7 October 2007.  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101063203/http://www.tlca.com/adults/obit-pvn.html |date=1 November 2007 }}</ref>

By 1996, party found itself in a complex political landscape. It faced internal challenges, including factionalism and leadership struggles, allegations of corruption, and 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.<ref name=resign>{{cite web|author=ABP News|title=Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-day govt.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ4F8KNB3ao |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/eQ4F8KNB3ao| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|via=YouTube|access-date=24 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was succeeded as president by [[Sitaram Kesri]], the party's first non-[[Brahmin]] leader.<ref name=Kesari>{{cite news|title=The Sitaram Kesri case|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-the-sitaram-kesri-case-how-dynasty-trumped-ethics-1564149|access-date=23 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=10 July 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref name="MitraEnskat2004">{{cite book|author1=Subrata Kumar Mitra|author2=Mike Enskat|author3=Clemens Spiess|title=Political Parties in South Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dObxI9xahSYC&pg=PR7|year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-275-96832-8|pages=42–43}}</ref>

=== Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh era (1998–2014) ===
[[File:The President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam authorizing the Prime Minister designate Dr. Manmohan Singh to form the next Government in New Delhi on May 19, 2004.jpg|thumb|250px|right|11th [[President of India]] [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] authorizing the Prime Minister designate [[Manmohan Singh]] to form the next Government in New Delhi on 19 May 2004.]]
The [[1998 Indian general election|1998 general elections]] saw Congress win 141 seats in the Lok Sabha, its lowest tally until then.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2145_98.htm|title=India Parliamentary Chamber: Lok Sabha|website=[[Inter-Parliamentary Union]]|access-date=4 March 2018}}</ref> 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 the party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/01/31/another-gandhi-comes-to-congress-partys-aid/6dd58f02-b8d2-4a1e-b6ee-32e6f26cefcf/|title=ANOTHER GANDHI COMES TO CONGRESS PARTY'S AID|last=Cooper|first=Kenneth J.|date=31 January 1998|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> She had previously declined offers to become actively involved in party affairs and had stayed away from politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19950131-sonia-gandhi-emerges-as-cynosure-of-all-eyes-could-play-pivotal-role-in-party-politics-808336-1995-01-31|title=Sonia Gandhi emerges as cynosure of all eyes, could play pivotal role in party politics|first1=M. |last1=Rahman|date=31 January 1995|website=India Today}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/21/world/congress-party-expels-3-who-opposed-gandhi.html|title=Congress Party Expels 3 Who Opposed Gandhi|first=Celia W.|last=Dugger|newspaper=The New York Times |date=21 May 1999}}</ref>

Sonia Gandhi struggled to revive the party in her early years as its president; she was under continuous scrutiny for her foreign birth and lack of political acumen. In the snap elections called by the [[National Democratic Alliance (India)|National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) government in [[1999 Indian general election|1999]], Congress' tally further plummeted to just 114 seats.<ref name="negi" /> 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 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hindustantimes.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-s-19-years-as-congress-president-from-husband-rajiv-s-death-to-son-rahul-s-elevation/story-nmW3hNiG2zDo6abGYc38YO.html|title=Sonia Gandhi's 19 years as Congress president: From husband death to son Rahul's elevation|last=Naqshbandi|first=Aurangzeb|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=16 December 2017|date=4 March 2018}}</ref> For the [[2004 Indian general election|2004 general election]], Congress forged alliances with regional parties including the NCP and the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/election/2004/may/14congress.htm|title=The mathematics of politics|publisher=[[Rediff.com]]|access-date=4 March 2018|date=16 May 2004}}</ref> The party's campaign emphasised social inclusion and the welfare of the common masses{{emdash}}an ideology that Gandhi herself endorsed for Congress during her presidency{{emdash}}with slogans such as {{lang|hi|Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath}} ("Congress hand in hand with the common man"), contrasting with the NDA's "[[India Shining]]" campaign.<ref name="negi">{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/sonia-gandhis-legacy-she-reinvented-herself-to-fight-off-challenges-but-also-had-her-share-of-failures-1606229.html|title=Sonia Gandhi's Legacy: She Reinvented Herself to Fight Off Challenges but also Had Her Share of Failures|last=Negi|first=Saroj|website=[[India Today]]|access-date=2 March 2018|date=16 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/sonia-gandhi-congress-president-rahul-gandhi-politics-4983911/|title=Sonia Gandhi retires as Congress president, to remain active in politics|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=15 December 2017|access-date=15 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/as-sonia-gandhi-makes-way-4984673/ |title=As Sonia Gandhi makes way|last=Chowdhary|first=Neerja|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=16 December 2017|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref> The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 222 seats in the new parliament, defeating the NDA by a substantial margin. With the subsequent support of the communist front, Congress won a majority and formed a new government.<ref name="Naqshbandi">{{cite news|url=http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sonia-gandhi-s-19-years-as-congress-president-from-husband-rajiv-s-death-to-son-rahul-s-elevation/story-nmW3hNiG2zDo6abGYc38YO.html |title=Sonia Gandhi's 19 years as Congress president: From husband Rajiv's death to son Rahul's elevation|last=Naqshbandi|first=Aurangzeb|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=16 December 2017|access-date=20 December 2017}}</ref>

Despite massive support from within the party, Gandhi declined the post of prime minister, choosing to appoint [[Manmohan Singh]] instead.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-election-gandhi/sonia-gandhi-keeps-congress-hopes-alive-in-india-polls-idUSTRE53D1XH20090414 |title=Sonia Gandhi keeps Congress hopes alive in India polls|last=Chandra|first=Rina|agency=Reuters|date=14 April 2009|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref> She remained as party president and headed the [[National Advisory Council]] (NAC).<ref>{{cite news|title=Hands-on influence for Sonia Gandhi as NAC head|url=http://www.livemint.com/Home-Page/bwgztbqFBjfiC4WnGGye3H/Handson-influence-for-Sonia-Gandhi-as-NAC-head.html|access-date=17 August 2016|last=Mathew|first=Liz|work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Livemint]]|date=30 March 2010}}</ref> During its first term in office, the UPA government passed several social reform bills. These included an [[Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act|employment guarantee]] bill, the [[Right to Information Act]], and a [[Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act|right to education]] act. The NAC, as well as [[Left Front (West Bengal)|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 the trust vote that followed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manmohan survives trust vote|url=http://specials.indiatoday.com/trustvote/|work=India Today|access-date=6 January 2014}}</ref>

In the [[2009 Indian general election|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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bidwai|first=Praful|title=Reading the Verdict|url=http://www.frontline.in/navigation/?type=static&page=archiveSearch&aid=20090619261209100&ais=12&avol=26|work=Frontline|access-date=6 January 2014}}</ref>

=== Modern era (2014–present) ===
{{Multiple image
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 |image1 = Mallikarjun Kharge.jpg
 |caption1 = [[Mallikarjun Kharge]], INC's incumbent president and leader in Rajya Sabha
 |image2 = The Minister of State for Railways, Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury addressing at the presentation of the National Awards for Outstanding Service in Railways, in Mumbai on April 16, 2013.jpg
 |caption2 = [[Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury]], INC's leader in Lok Sabha
}}
By the [[2014 Indian general election|2014 election]], the party had lost much of its popular support, mainly due to several years of poor economic conditions in 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]].<ref name=2G>{{cite news|title=2G spectrum scam|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/what-is-the-2g-scam-all-about/1/188832.html|access-date=22 June 2014|work=India Today|date=19 October 2012}}</ref><ref name=coal>{{cite news|title=Coal Block Allocations Scam|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-what-is-the-indian-coal-allocation-scam-1828830|access-date=22 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=30 April 2013}}</ref> The Congress won only 44 seats in the [[Lok Sabha]], compared to the 336 of the BJP and the NDA.<ref name=performance>{{cite news|title=List of Congress winners|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lok-sabha-election-results-list-of-congress-winners/472493-37-64.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519170158/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lok-sabha-election-results-list-of-congress-winners/472493-37-64.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 May 2014|access-date=22 June 2014|work=[[CNN-IBN]]|date=17 May 2014}}</ref> The UPA suffered 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.<ref name=result>{{cite news|title=Congress Vote Share Dips Below 20 Per Cent for First Time|url=http://www.ndtv.com/elections/article/election-2014/election-results-2014-congress-vote-share-dips-below-20-per-cent-for-first-time-526000|access-date=22 June 2014|work=[[NDTV India]]|date=17 May 2014}}</ref> 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 Indian National Congress presidential election|2017 INC presidential election]].<ref name="Naqshbandi" />

Rahul Gandhi resigned from his post after the [[2019 Indian general election|2019 election]], due to the party's dismal electoral performance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rahul-gandhi-resignation-what-next-1561338-2019-07-03|title=Rahul Gandhi has resigned. For real. What next?|newspaper=India Today|access-date=14 July 2019|agency=Ist}}</ref> 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 a consensus candidate could be picked.<ref name="2019 president">{{cite news|url= https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cwc-chooses-sonia-gandhi-as-interim-chief-of-congress/articleshow/70623767.cms|title=CWC chooses Sonia Gandhi as interim chief of Congress|work=[[The Economic Times]]|date=11 August 2019|access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rahul-had-said-no-gandhi-but-congress-goes-back-to-sonia-gandhi/articleshow/70625074.cms | title=Rahul had said 'no Gandhi', but Congress goes back to Sonia Gandhi | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=11 August 2019 | access-date=11 August 2019}}</ref> Following the election, [[Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury]] was chosen as the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha,<ref name="Pioneer">{{cite news |title=Chowdhury to stay as leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/india/chowdhury-to-stay-as-leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha.html |access-date=18 January 2022 |work=The Pioneer |date=15 July 2021}}</ref> [[Gaurav Gogoi]] was chosen as the deputy leader in Lok Sabha, and [[Ravneet Singh Bittu]] was chosen as the party whip.<ref>{{cite news |title=Congress appoints Gaurav Gogoi as deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Ravneet Bittu as whip |url=https://theprint.in/politics/congress-appoints-gaurav-gogoi-as-deputy-leader-in-lok-sabha-ravneet-bittu-as-whip/490567/ |access-date=18 January 2022 |work=ThePrint |date=27 August 2020}}</ref> 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, the Congress has highest [[Defection|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.<ref name="Analysis">{{cite news |last1=Joy |first1=Shemin |title=Congress has lost six governments to BJP since PM Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014 |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/congress-has-lost-six-governments-to-bjp-since-pm-narendra-modi-assumed-power-in-2014-954411.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=Deccan Herald|agency=The Printers, Mysore |date=23 February 2021}}</ref> The defections resulted in a loss of the party's established governments in [[2015–2016 Arunachal Pradesh political crisis|Arunachal Pradesh]], [[2020 Madhya Pradesh political crisis|Madhya Pradesh]], [[Goa]], [[2019 Karnataka political crisis|Karnataka]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]], and [[Manipur]].

On 28 August 2022, the [[Congress Working Committee]] (CWC) decided to hold [[2022 Indian National Congress Presidential Election|2022 INC Presidential Election]]. The election was held on 17 October 2022 and the counting took place on 19 October 2022. A formal notification for the election was issued on 22 September 2022.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 August 2022 |title=Election for Congress president to be held on October 17, counting on October 19 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/election-for-congress-president-to-be-held-on-october-17-101661682471947.html |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> The main two contenders were [[Shashi Tharoor]] and [[Mallikarjun Kharge]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Congress president polls {{!}} It's Mallikarjun Kharge vs Shashi Tharoor as Tripathi's nomination is rejected |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/congress-president-polls-its-mallikarjun-kharge-vs-shashi-tharoor-as-tripathis-nomination-rejected/article65958509.ece |date=1 October 2022 |work=The Hindu |agency=Press Trust of India |issn=0971-751X|access-date=2022-10-04}}</ref>
Mallikarjun Kharge won this election.<ref name="indiatimes1"/> He secured 7,897 out of the 9,385 votes polled. His rival, Shashi Tharoor, however, sprung a surprise by securing 1,072 votes.<ref name="thehindu1"/>

== General election results ==
In the [[1951–52 Indian general election|first parliamentary]] elections held in 1952, the INC won 364 seats, which was 76 per cent of the 479 contested seats.<ref name="India Today 2007">{{cite web | title=Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru won the first general election in 1952 | website=India Today | date=2 July 2007 | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20070702-1952-first-lok-sabha-elections-748237-2007-07-01 | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> The vote share of the INC was 45 per cent of all votes cast.<ref name="Ganguly 2022">{{cite web | last=Ganguly | first=Siddharth | title=The Parties That Contested India's First General Election | website=The Wire | date=2 February 2022 | url=https://thewire.in/history/the-parties-that-contested-indias-first-general-election | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> Till the [[1971 Indian general election|1971 general elections]], the party's voting percentage remain intact at 40 per cent. However, the [[1977 Indian general election|1977 general elections]] resulted in a heavy defeat for the INC. Many notable INC party leader lost their seats, winning only 154 seats in the Lok Sabha.<ref name="Analysisb">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Abhinav |title=Lok Sabha Poll Results: A vote-share and performance analysis of BJP vs Congress from 1996 to 2019 |url=https://english.newsnationtv.com/election/lok-sabha-election/lok-sabha-poll-results-a-vote-share-and-performance-analysis-of-bjp-vs-congress-from-1996-to-2019-225277.html |access-date=8 March 2022 |work=News Nation |agency=News Nation Network Pvt Ltd. |date=24 May 2019}}</ref> 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 [[1984 Indian general election|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, the largest ever majority in independent India's Lok Sabha elections history.<ref name="Hindustan Times 2003">{{cite web | title=Chronology of Lok Sabha elections (1952–1999) | website=Hindustan Times| date=13 October 2003 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/chronology-of-lok-sabha-elections-1952-1999/story-592mMFUB4HLQKlLyUamnjN.html | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> 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, India|Punjab]] and [[Assam]] in 1985.<ref name="Ganguly 2022"/>

In November 1989, general elections were held to elect the members of the 9th Lok Sabha.<ref name="Anon">{{cite web | title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1989 to the Ninth Lok Sabha| url=https://ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in/Links/Books/89_Vol_II.pdf | access-date=20 March 2024}}</ref> The Congress did badly in the elections, though it still managed to be the largest single party in the Lok Sabha. Its vote share started decreasing to 39.5 per cent in the 1989 general elections. The 13th Lok Sabha term was to end in October 2004, but the [[National Democratic Alliance]] (NDA) government decided on early polls. The Lok Sabha was dissolved in February itself and the country went to the polls in April–May 2004. The INC, led by Sonia Gandhi unexpectedly emerged as the single largest party.<ref name="2004 Result">{{cite news |last1=Chakravarty |first1=Shubhodeep |title=INKredible India: The story of 2004 Lok Sabha election – All you need to know |url=https://zeenews.india.com/lok-sabha-general-elections-2019/inkredible-india-the-story-of-2004-lok-sabha-election-all-you-need-to-know-2204202.html |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=[[Zee News]]|agency=[[Essel Group]] |date=18 May 2019}}</ref> After the elections, Congress joined up with minor parties to form the [[United Progressive Alliance]] (UPA). The UPA with external support from the [[Bahujan Samaj Party]], [[Samajwadi Party]], Kerala Congress, and the Left Front managed a comfortable majority.<ref name="2004 Result"/> Congress has lost nearly 20% of its vote share in general elections held between 1996 and 2009.<ref name="Analysis"/>
[[File:Congress Loksabha Vote percent all time.png|thumb|right|alt= INC general elections vote percentage|All time-INC Lok Sabha electoral vote percentage]]
[[File:Congress Loksabha seats all time.png|thumb|right|alt=INC seasts in lower house of Indian parliament|All time-INC Lok Sabha seat count]]
[[File:Congress Rajya sabha seats all time.png|thumb|right|alt=INC seats in upper house of Indian parliament|All time-INC Rajya Sabha seat count]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Year
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Legislature
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"|  Party leader
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Seats won
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Change<br />in seats
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Percentage<br />of votes
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Vote<br />swing
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Outcome
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;" class="unsortable"| Ref
|-
|[[1934 Indian general election|1934]]
|[[Central Legislative Assembly|5th Central Legislative Assembly]]
|[[Bhulabhai Desai]]
|{{Composition bar|42|147|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 42
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
| {{n/a}}
|<ref name=T1>"Elections in India The New Delhi Assembly, Congress Party's Position", ''The Times'', 10 December 1934, p15, Issue 46933</ref>
|-
|[[1945 Indian general election|1945]]
|[[Central Legislative Assembly|6th Central Legislative Assembly]]
|[[Sarat Chandra Bose]]
|{{Composition bar|59|102|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 17
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
| {{partial|[[Interim Government of India]] (1946–1947)}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=110|title=-- Schwartzberg Atlas – Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref>
|-
|[[1951 Indian general election|1951]]
|[[1st Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=3|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
|{{Composition bar|364|489|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 364
|44.99%
|{{n/a}}
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistical Report on Lok Sabha Elections 1951–52 |publisher=Election Commission of India |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1951/VOL_11_51_LS.PDF }}</ref>
|-
|[[1957 Indian general election|1957]]
|[[2nd Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|371|494|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
|47.78%
|{{increase}} 2.79%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref name="GE1957V1">{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1957/Vol_I_57_LS.pdf | title=Statistical Report on General Election, 1957 : To the Second Lok Sabha Volume-I | work=Election Commission of India | page=5 | access-date=11 July 2015}}</ref>
|-
|[[1962 Indian general election|1962]]
|[[3rd Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|361|494|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 10
|44.72%
|{{decrease}} 3.06%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1962/Vol_I_LS_62.pdf | title=Statistical Report On General Elections, 1962 To The Third Lok Sabha | publisher=Election Commission of India | access-date=30 April 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185518/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1962/Vol_I_LS_62.pdf|archive-date= 18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1967 Indian general election|1967]]
|[[4th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=4|[[Indira Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|283|520|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 78
|40.78%
|{{decrease}} 2.94%
|{{yes2|Government (1967–69)<br>Coalition (1969–71)}}
|<ref name="General Election of India 1967">{{cite web|title=General Election of India 1967, 4th Lok Sabha |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1967/Vol_I_LS_67.pdf |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185108/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1967/Vol_I_LS_67.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1971 Indian general election|1971]]
|[[5th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|352|518|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 69
|43.68%
|{{increase}} 2.90%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |title=General Election of India 1971, 5th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175452/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1971/Vol_I_LS71.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1977 Indian general election|1977]]
|[[6th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|153|542|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 199
|34.52%
|{{decrease}} 9.16%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |title=General Election of India 1977, 6th Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date=13 January 2010 |page=6 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718185438/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1977/Vol_I_LS_77.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>
|-
|[[1980 Indian general election|1980]]
|[[7th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|351|542|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 198
|42.69%
|{{increase}} 8.17%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref name="1980 report" />
|-
|[[1984 Indian general election|1984]]
|[[8th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=2|[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|415|533|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 64
|49.01%
|{{increase}} 6.32%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1984, to the Eighth Lok Sabha – Volume 1 (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) |url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/4118-general-election-1984-vol-i-ii/?do=download&r=9755&confirm=1&t=1&csrfKey=6df04992cf2c2fe96a9487465b425663 |year=1985 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031082328/https://eci.gov.in/files/file/4118-general-election-1984-vol-i-ii/?do=download&r=9755&confirm=1&t=1&csrfKey=6df04992cf2c2fe96a9487465b425663 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |url-status=dead |website=Election Commission of India |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[1989 Indian general election|1989]]
|[[9th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|197|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 218
|39.53%
|{{decrease}} 9.48%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9dDH9q7nVQ8C&pg=PA124|title=Indian Parliamentary Democracy|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=2003|isbn=978-81-269-0193-7|page=124}}</ref>
|-
|[[1991 Indian general election|1991]]
|[[10th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan=2|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
|{{Composition bar|244|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 47
|35.66%
|{{decrease}} 3.87%
|{{yes2|Government}}
|<ref name=IPU>{{cite web|title=1991 India General (10th Lok Sabha) Elections Results|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1991-election-results.html|access-date=7 September 2020|website=elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|[[1996 Indian general election|1996]]
|[[11th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|140|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 104
|28.80%
|{{decrease}} 7.46%
|{{partial|Opposition, later [[Confidence and supply|outside support]] for [[United Front (India)|UF]]}}
|<ref>{{cite book|last=Vohra|first=Ranbir|title=The Making of India|year=2001|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|location=Armonk|pages=282–284|isbn=978-0-7656-0712-6}}</ref>
|-
|[[1998 Indian general election|1998]]
|[[12th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Sitaram Kesri]]
|{{Composition bar|141|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|25.82%
|{{decrease}} 2.98%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge98/index_ge.htm |title=WORTHLESS! |website=General Elections '98 – India |publisher=Election Commission of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410025915/https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge98/index_ge.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1998-election-results.html|title=General (12th Lok Sabha) Election Results India|access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[1999 Indian general election|1999]]
|[[13th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan="2" |[[Sonia Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|114|545|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 27
|28.30%
|{{increase}} 2.48%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge1999/index_ge1.htm |title=WORTHLESS! |website=General Elections '99 – India |publisher=Election Commission of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410025423/https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/ge1999/index_ge1.htm |archive-date=10 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1999-election-results.html|title=General (13th Lok Sabha) Election Results India|access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[2004 Indian general election|2004]]
|[[14th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|145|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 31
|26.7%
|{{decrease}} 1.6%
|{{yes2|Coalition}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eci.nic.in/archive/GE2004/pollupd/pc/GE_NatSnapshot.htm |title=Party wise Summary|website=General Elections 2004|publisher=Election Commission of India|date=30 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727220231/http://eci.nic.in/archive/GE2004/pollupd/pc/GE_NatSnapshot.htm |archive-date=27 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|[[2009 Indian general election|2009]]
|[[15th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Manmohan Singh]]
|{{Composition bar|206|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 61
|28.55%
|{{increase}} 2.02%
|{{yes2|Coalition}}
|<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/second-upa-wincrowning-glory-for-sonia%5Cs-ascendancy/61892/on|title=Second UPA win, a crowning glory for Sonia's ascendancy|date=16 May 2009|work=[[Business Standard]]|access-date=13 June 2009}}</ref>
|-
|[[2014 Indian general election|2014]]
|[[16th Lok Sabha]]
|rowspan="2" |[[Rahul Gandhi]]
|{{Composition bar|44|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{decrease}} 162
|19.3%
|{{decrease}} 9.25%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/terms_of_houses.aspx|title=Terms of Houses, Election Commission of India|access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
|[[17th Lok Sabha]]
|{{Composition bar|52|543|{{party color|Indian National Congress}}}}
|{{increase}} 8
|19.5%
|{{increase}} 0.2%
|{{no2|Opposition}}
|<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48389130|title=Modi thanks India for 'historic mandate'|date=23 May 2019|access-date=29 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528223438/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48389130|archive-date=28 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2024 Indian general election|2024]]
|[[18th Lok Sabha]]
|[[Mallikarjun Kharge]]
| colspan="6" |'''TBD'''
|}

== Political positions ==
{{Liberalism sidebar}}

=== Social affairs ===
The Congress party emphasizes [[social equality]], [[Freedom (political)|freedom]], [[secularism]], and [[equal opportunity]].<ref name="NSGehlot1991">{{cite book|author=N. S. Gehlot|title=The Congress Party in India: Policies, Culture, Performance|url={{Google books|06HLD2_3Qj4C|page=PM177|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|year=1991|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications|isbn=978-81-7100-306-8|pages=150–200}}</ref> Its political position is generally considered to be in the centre.<ref name="British-Journal"/> Historically, the party has represented farmers, labourers, and [[National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005|Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act]] (MGNREGA).<ref name="MGNREGA">{{cite web |title=National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 |url=https://rural.nic.in/sites/default/files/nrega/Library/Books/1_MGNREGA_Act.pdf |publisher=Ministry of Law and Justice |access-date=11 July 2021}}</ref> The MGNREGA was initiated with the objective of "enhancing livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year, to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work." Another aim of MGNREGA is to create durable assets (such as roads, canals, ponds, and wells).<ref name="MGNREGA"/>

The Congress has positioned itself as both pro-Hindu and protector of the minorities. The party supports [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s doctrine of {{lang|hi|[[Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava]]}}, collectively termed by its party members as secularism. Former Chief Minister of Punjab and senior Congress member [[Amarinder Singh]] said, "India belongs to all religions, which is its strength, and the Congress would not allow anyone to destroy its cherished secular values."<ref name="Captain CM">{{cite news |title=Congress will safeguard secularism |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/congress-will-safeguard-secularism/article27074338.ece |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=9 May 2019}}</ref> On 9 November 1989, Rajiv Gandhi had allowed {{lang|hi|Shilanyas}} (foundation stone-laying ceremony) adjacent to the then disputed [[Ram Janmabhoomi]] site.<ref name="Ram Temple Rajiv">{{cite news |last1=Kundu |first1=Chayan |title=Fact Check: False claims of Rajiv Gandhi at Ram temple 'bhoomi pujan' go viral |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fact-check/story/fact-check-false-claims-of-rajiv-gandhi-at-ram-temple-bhoomi-pujan-go-viral-1704708-2020-07-26 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=India Today |agency=Living Media Pvt. Ltd. |date=26 July 2020}}</ref> Subsequently, his government faced heavy criticism over the passing of [[The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986]], which nullified the Supreme Court's judgment in the [[Shah Bano case]]. The [[1984 anti-Sikh riots|1984 violence]] made the Congress party lose a moral argument over secularism. The BJP questioned the Congress party's moral authority in questioning it about the [[2002 Gujarat riots]].<ref name="ThePrint">{{cite news |last1=Vij |first1=Shivam |title=Reclaiming Indian pluralism will need annihilation of the Congress party |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/reclaiming-indian-pluralism-will-need-annihilation-of-congress/485212/ |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=ThePrint |publisher=Shekhar Gupta |date=19 August 2020}}</ref> The Congress has distanced itself from [[Hindutva]] ideology, though the party has softened its stance after defeat in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.<ref name="Hindutva">{{cite news |title='Rajiv Gandhi opened locks, called for Ram Rajya in 1985': Kamal Nath |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/rajiv-gandhi-opened-locks-called-for-ram-rajya-in-1985-kamal-nath/632586 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=Times Now |date=6 August 2020}}</ref>

Under Narsimha Rao's premiership, the [[Panchayati raj in India|Panchayati Raj]] and [[Municipal corporation (India)|Municipal Government]] got constitutional status. With the enactment of the 73rd and 74th amendments to the constitution, a new chapter, Part- IX added to the constitution.<ref name="73rd">{{cite web |title=Panchayati Raj System in Independent India |url=http://www.pbrdp.gov.in/documents/6205745/98348119/Panchayati%20Raj%20System%20in%20Independent%20India.pdf |publisher=Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> States have been given the flexibility to take into consideration their geographical, politico-administrative, and other consideration while adopting the Panchayati-raj system. In both panchayats and municipal bodies, in an attempt to ensure that there is inclusiveness in [[Local government in India|local self-government]], reservations for SC/ST and women were implemented.<ref name="Self Governance">{{cite web |title=Governance and Development |url=https://niti.gov.in/planningcommission.gov.in/docs/plans/mta/midterm/english-pdf/chapter-17.pdf |publisher=[[NITI Aayog]] |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref>

After independence, Congress advocated the idea of establishing [[Hindi]] as the sole national language of India. Nehru led the faction of the Congress party which promoted Hindi as the ''[[lingua franca]]'' of the Indian nation.<ref name="Lingua">{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43950462 |publisher=JSTOR |jstor=43950462 |access-date=5 July 2021|title=Jawaharlal Nehru and the Language Problem |last1=Agrawala |first1=S. K. |journal=Journal of the Indian Law Institute |year=1977 |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=44–67 }}</ref> However, the non-Hindi-speaking Indian states, especially [[Tamil Nadu]], opposed it and wanted the continued use of the English language. Lal Bahadur Shastri's tenure witnessed several protests and riots including the Madras [[Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu|anti-Hindi agitation of 1965]].<ref name="Tamil protest">{{cite news |last1=Nair |first1=Chitralekha |title=A brief history of anti-Hindi imposition agitations in India |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/06/07/brief-history-anti-hindi-imposition-agitations-india.html |access-date=5 July 2021 |work=The Week (Indian magazine) |publisher=Jacob Mathew |date=7 June 2019}}</ref> Shashtri's appealed to agitators to withdraw the movement and assured them that the English would continue to be used as the official language as long as the non-Hindi speaking states wanted.<ref name="Assurance">{{cite news |last1=Madan |first1=Karuna |title=Anti-Hindi agitation: How it all began |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/anti-hindi-agitation-how-it-all-began-1.2018146 |access-date=5 July 2021 |work=Gulf News |agency=Al Nisr Publishing |date=28 April 2017}}</ref> Indira Gandhi assuaged the sentiments of the non-Hindi speaking states by getting the Official Languages Act amended in 1967 to provide that the use of English could continue until a resolution to end the use of the language was passed by the legislature of every state that had not adopted use Hindi as its official language, and by each house of the Indian Parliament.<ref name="Language 1967">{{cite web |title=THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1963 |url=https://rajbhasha.gov.in/en/official-languages-act-1963 |publisher=Department of Official Language, Government of India |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> This was a guarantee of de facto use of both Hindi and English as official languages, thus establishing bilingualism in India.<ref name="Language Act">{{cite web |title=Complete Text of the Official Languages Act |url=https://www.uottawa.ca/clmc/india-official-languages-act#:~:text=Bill%2019%20(1963)%20as%20amended%201967&text=An%20Act%20to%20provide%20for,certain%20communication%20purposes%20in%20HighCourts.&text=1)%20This%20Act%20may%20be,the%20Official%20Languages%20Act%2C%201963. |publisher=The University of Ottawa |access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> The step led to the end of the anti-Hindi protests and riots in states.

[[Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code]], which, among other things, criminalizes homosexuality; former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "Sexuality is a matter of personal freedom and should be left to individuals". Leading party figure and former Finance Minister [[P. Chidambaram]] stated that the ''[[Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India]]'' judgment must be quickly reversed". On 18 December 2015, [[Shashi Tharoor]] leading member of the party introduced a [[private member's bill]] to replace Section 377 in the Indian Penal Code and decriminalize consensual same-sex relations. The bill was defeated in the first reading. In March 2016, Tharoor again reintroduce the private member's bill to decriminalize homosexuality but was voted down for the second time.

=== Economic policies ===
{{See also|Economic liberalisation in India}}
The history of the economic policy of Congress-led governments can be divided into two periods. The first period lasted from independence, in 1947, to 1991 and put great emphasis on the public sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/a-short-history-of-indian-economy-1947-2019-tryst-with-destiny-other-stories-1565801528109.html|title=A short history of Indian economy 1947–2019: Tryst with destiny & other stories|date=14 August 2019|website=Mint (newspaper)}}</ref> The second period began with [[economic liberalization|economic liberalisation]] in 1991. At present, Congress endorses a mixed economy in which the private sector and the state both direct the economy, which has characteristics of both [[market economy|market]] and [[Planned economy|planned economies]]. The Congress advocates import substitution industrialisation—the replacement of imports with the domestic product, and believes the Indian economy should be liberalised to increase the pace of development.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/nehrus-economic-philosophy/article18589548.ece|title=Nehru's economic philosophy|first=H.|last=Venkatasubbiah|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/manmohan-singh-credits-jawarharlal-nehru-for-the-idea-of-mixed-economy/articleshow/45197661.cms|title=Manmohan Singh credits Jawarharlal Nehru for the 'idea of mixed economy'|newspaper=The Economic Times}}</ref>

[[File:Pranab Mukherjee - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2009.jpg|thumb|left|alt=refer caption | Then-Finance Minister [[Pranab Mukherjee]] during the [[World Economic Forum|World Economic Summit]] 2009 in New Delhi]]

At the beginning of the first period, erstwhile prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru implemented policies based on [[import substitution industrialization|import substitution industrialisation]] and advocated a [[mixed economy]] where the government-controlled [[public sector]] would co-exist with the [[private sector]]. He believed that the establishment of basic and heavy industry was fundamental to the development and modernisation of the Indian economy. The government, therefore, directed investment primarily into key public-sector industries—steel, iron, coal, and power—promoting their development with subsidies and protectionist policies. This period was called the [[Licence Raj]], or Permit Raj,<ref>Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, 1989: from [[Sanskrit|Skr.]] ''rāj'': to reign, rule; cognate with [[Latin|L.]] ''rēx'', ''rēg-is'', [[Old Irish|OIr.]] ''rī'', ''rīg'' king (see RICH).</ref> which was the elaborate system of [[Industrial licensing in India|licences]], regulations, and accompanying [[red tape]] that were required to set up and run businesses in India between 1947 and 1990.<ref>[http://www.swaminomics.org/articles/20011125_streethawking.htm Street Hawking Promise Jobs in Future] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329023451/http://www.swaminomics.org/articles/20011125_streethawking.htm |date=29 March 2008 }}, ''[[The Times of India]]'', 25 November 2001</ref> The Licence Raj was a result of Nehru and his successors' desire to have a [[planned economy]] where all aspects of the economy were controlled by the state, and licences were given to a select few. Up to 80 government agencies had to be satisfied before private companies could produce something; and, if the licence were granted, the government would regulate production.<ref name="bbcindia1998">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/55427.stm|title=India: the economy|year=1998|publisher=BBC}}</ref> The licence raj system continued under Indira Gandhi. In addition, many key sectors such as banking, steel coal, and oil were nationalized.<ref name="Rosser" /><ref name="Kapila1">{{Cite book
| publisher=Academic Foundation| page=126|url={{Google books|de66PkzcfusC|page=PA126|plainurl=yes}} |isbn=978-8171881055| last1=Kapila| first1=Raj| last2=Kapila| first2=Uma| title=Understanding India's economic Reforms| year=2004}}</ref> Under Rajiv Gandhi, the trade regime were liberalised with reduction in duties on several import items and incentives to promote exports.<ref name="princeton.edu">{{cite journal |author1=Philippe Aghion|author2=Robin Burgess |author3=Stephen J. Redding|author4=Fabrizio Zilibotti |year=2008|url=http://www.princeton.edu/~reddings/pubpapers/ABRZ_AER_Sept2008.pdf|title=The Unequal Effects of Liberalization: Evidence from Dismantling the License Raj in India|journal=American Economic Review |volume=98|issue=4|pages=1397–1412|doi=10.1257/aer.98.4.1397|s2cid=966634 }}</ref> Tax rates were reduced and curbs on company assests loosened.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19910615-in-an-india-known-for-thinking-small-rajiv-gandhi-generated-high-stakes-optimism-814461-1991-06-15|title=In an India known for thinking small, Rajiv Gandhi generated high-stakes optimism|first=Sudeep |last=Chakravarti|date=15 June 1991|website=India Today}}</ref>

In 1991, the new Congress government, led by [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]], initiated reforms to avert the impending [[1991 India economic crisis|1991 economic crisis]].<ref name="Narasimha Rao was father of economic reform: Pranab" /><ref name="Ghosh">{{cite web|url=http://www.globaleconomicgovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/ghosh-pathways_india.pdf|archive-date=25 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025042847/http://www.globaleconomicgovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/ghosh-pathways_india.pdf|title= India's Pathway through Financial Crisis|work=globaleconomicgovernance.org|first=Arunabha |last=Ghosh|publisher=Global Economic Governance Programme|access-date=2 March 2007}}</ref> The reforms known as [[New Economic Policy]] (NEP) or "1991 economic reforms" or "LPG reforms", progressed furthest in opening up areas to [[foreign direct investment|foreign investment]], reforming [[capital markets]], [[Deregulation|deregulating]] domestic business, and reforming the trade regime. The reforms were implemented during a time when India grappled with a balance of payments crisis, elevated inflation, underperforming public sector undertakings (PSUs), and a substantial fiscal deficit.<ref name="LPG Rao">{{cite news |last1=Tiwari |first1=Brajesh Kumar |title=Dr Manmohan Singh: The Architect of India's Economic Reform |url=https://news.abplive.com/blog/dr-manmohan-singh-the-architect-of-india-s-economic-reform-1632067 |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=ABP News |agency=ABP Group |date=26 September 2023}}</ref> It also aimed to transition the economy from a socialist model to a market economy.<ref name="Economy Reforms">{{cite news |last1=Chundawat |first1=Keshav Singh |title=Dr Manmohan Singh, the man who opened up Indian economy |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/politics/pm-modi-extends-birthday-wishes-to-dr-manmohan-singh-the-man-who-opened-up-indian-economy-17886361.htm |access-date=3 December 2023 |work=CNBC TV18 |agency=Network18 Group |date=26 September 2023}}</ref> The goals of Rao's government were to reduce the [[fiscal deficit]], [[privatization|privatise]] the public sector, and increase investment in infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZbWF5hykvwYC&q=1991+economic+reforms+progressed+furthest+in+opening+up+areas+to+foreign+investment%2C+reforming+capital+markets%2C+deregulating+domestic+business%2C+and+reforming+the+trade+regime.&pg=PA65|title=Methodology And Perspectives of Business Studies|first=G.|last=Balachandran|date=28 July 2010|publisher=Ane Books India|isbn=9789380156682|via=Google Books}}</ref> Trade reforms and changes in the regulation of [[foreign direct investment]] were introduced to open India to foreign trade while stabilising external loans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/narasimha-rao-s-bold-economic-reforms-helped-in-india-s-development-naidu-11609062633183.html|title=Narasimha Rao's bold economic reforms helped in India's development: Naidu|author=Staff Writer|date=27 December 2020|website=mint}}</ref> Rao chose [[Manmohan Singh]] for the job. Singh, an acclaimed economist and former [[List of governors of the Reserve Bank of India|governor]] of the [[Reserve Bank of India]], played a central role in implementing these reforms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/this-day-the-half-lion-saved-india-when-rao-and-manmohan-brought-economy-back-from-the-brink/articleshow/59738979.cms?from=mdr|title=This day the half-lion saved India: When Rao and Manmohan brought economy back from the brink|newspaper=The Economic Times}}</ref>

In 2004, Singh became prime minister of the Congress-led UPA government. Singh remained prime minister after the UPA won the 2009 general elections. The UPA government introduced policies aimed at reforming the banking and financial sectors, as well as public sector companies.<ref>{{cite news|title=Banking on reform|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/banking-on-reform/1059372/|access-date=14 June 2013|newspaper=The Indian Express}}</ref> It also introduced policies aimed at relieving farmers of their debt.<ref>{{cite web|title=Farmer Waiver Scheme- PM statement|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=39122|publisher=PIB|access-date=14 June 2013}}</ref> In 2005, [[First Manmohan Singh ministry|Singh government]] introduced the [[value added tax|value-added tax]], replacing the [[sales tax]]. India was able to resist the worst effects of the global [[economic crisis of 2008]].<ref>Mohan, R., 2008. Global financial crisis and key risks: impact on India and Asia. RBI Bulletin, pp.2003–2022.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Global inflation climbs to historic levels|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/business/worldbusiness/12iht-inflate.1.9963291.html|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Kevin Plumberg|author2=Steven C. Johnson|access-date=17 June 2011|date=2 November 2008}}</ref> Singh's government continued the [[Golden Quadrilateral]], the Indian highway modernisation program that was initiated by [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee|Vajpayee]]'s government.<ref>{{cite web|title=Economic benefits of golden Quadilateral|date=4 May 2013 |url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/economic-benefits-of-the-golden-quadrilateral-project/1/194321.html|publisher=Business today|access-date=14 June 2013}}</ref> Then Finance Minister of India [[Pranab Mukherjee]] implemented many tax reforms, notably scrapping the [[Fringe Benefits Tax (India)|Fringe Benefits Tax]] and the Commodities Transaction Tax.<ref>{{cite web|date=6 July 2009|title=Fringe benefit tax abolished|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/fringe-benefit-tax-abolished/story-w54pPgAH9TN3SE9ze9fdiI.html|access-date=31 August 2020|website=Hindustan Times|archive-date=1 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901040931/https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/fringe-benefit-tax-abolished/story-w54pPgAH9TN3SE9ze9fdiI.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He implemented the [[Goods and Services Tax (India)|Goods and Services Tax]] (GST) during his tenure.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 April 2017|title=President Pranab Mukherjee gives nod to four supporting Bills on GST|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/president-pranab-mukherjee-gives-nod-to-four-supporting-legislations-on-gst/article17982848.ece|access-date=31 August 2020|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610130246/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/president-pranab-mukherjee-gives-nod-to-four-supporting-legislations-on-gst/article17982848.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> His reforms were well received by major corporate executives and economists. The introduction of retrospective taxation, however, has been criticised by some economists.<ref>{{cite web|date=27 October 2017|title=Manmohan & Sonia opposed retrospective tax: Pranab Mukherjee |url=https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/retrospective-tax-pranab-mukherjee/13673/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901040859/https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/retrospective-tax-pranab-mukherjee/13673/|archive-date=1 September 2020|url-status=live|access-date=31 August 2020|website=ThePrint}}</ref> Mukherjee expanded funding for several social sector schemes including the [[Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission]] (JNNURM). He also supported budget increases for improving [[literacy in India|literacy]] and health care. He expanded infrastructure programmes such as the [[National Highway Development Programme]].<ref>{{cite web|title=More Funds for Infrastructure Development, Farmers|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/more-funds-for-infrastructure-development-farmers/662289|access-date=1 September 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=1 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901040912/https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/more-funds-for-infrastructure-development-farmers/662289|website=Outlook India}}</ref> Electricity coverage was also expanded during his tenure. Mukherjee also reaffirmed his commitment to the principle of fiscal prudence as some economists expressed concern about the rising fiscal deficits during his tenure, the highest since 1991. Mukherjee declared the expansion in government spending was only temporary.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Big spender|newspaper=The Economist |issn=0013-0613|url=https://www.economist.com/news/2009/07/07/big-spender |access-date=1 September 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=1 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901040901/https://www.economist.com/news/2009/07/07/big-spender}}</ref>

=== National defence and home affairs ===
[[File:The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife, Smt. Gursharan Kaur during the Passing Out Parade at the Platinum Jubilee Course of Indian Military Academy, in Dehradun, on December 10, 2007.jpg|thumb|[[Manmohan Singh]] and his wife during the passing out parade at the Platinum Jubilee Course of IMA on 10 December 2007; with foreign gentleman cadets.]]
Since its independence, India was in pursuing of nuclear capabilities, as Nehru felt that nuclear energy could take the country forward and help achieve its developmental goals.<ref name="Vision">{{cite web |title=Indian Nuclear Program |url=https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/indian-nuclear-program |publisher=National Museum of Nuclear Science & History |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> Consequently, Nehru began to seek assistance from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.<ref name="Skardon2010">{{cite book|author=C. Philip Skardon|title=A Lesson for Our Times: How America Kept the Peace in the Hungary-Suez Crisis of 1956|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aRUgkjbBvBAC&pg=PA695|date=19 March 2010|publisher=Author House|isbn=978-1-4520-3033-3|pages=695–696}}</ref><ref name="Assistance">{{cite web |title=The end of the British empire in India |url=https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/empire/g3/cs3/background.htm |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> In 1958 the government of India with the help of [[Homi J. Bhabha]] adopted a three-phase power production plan and the [[Bhabha Atomic Research Centre|Nuclear Research Institute]] was established in 1954.<ref name="Perkovich2001">{{cite book|author=George Perkovich|title=India's Nuclear Bomb: The Impact on Global Proliferation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UDA9dUryS8EC&pg=PA22|year=2001|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-23210-5|page=22}}</ref> Indira Gandhi witnessed continuous nuclear testing by [[People's Republic of China|China]] from 1964 onwards, which she considered an existential threat to India.<ref name="JSTOR">{{cite journal |last1=Couper |first1=Frank E. |title=Indian Party Conflict on the Issue of Atomic Weapons |journal=The Journal of Developing Areas |year=1969 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=191–206 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4189559 |publisher=JSTOR |jstor=4189559 |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="LATimes1998">{{cite news |last1=Tempest |first1=Rone |title=India's Nuclear Tests Jolt Its Relations With China |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-11-mn-58841-story.html |access-date=7 July 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times Communications LLC |date=11 June 1998}}</ref> India conducted its first nuclear test in the [[Pokhran]] desert in Rajasthan on 18 May 1974, under the name [[Operation Smiling Buddha]].<ref name="First Test">{{cite news |last1=Nair |first1=Arun |title=Smiling Buddha: All You Need To Know About India's First Nuclear Test at Pokhran |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/smiling-buddha-all-you-need-to-know-about-indias-first-nuclear-test-at-pokhran-2230645 |access-date=5 July 2021 |publisher=NDTV |date=18 May 2020}}</ref> India asserted that the test was for "[[peaceful nuclear explosion|peaceful purposes]]", However, the test was criticized by other countries and the United States and Canada suspended all nuclear support to India.<ref name="PNE">{{cite web |title=India's Nuclear Weapons Program Smiling Buddha: 1974 |url=https://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/IndiaSmiling.html |publisher=The Nuclear Weapon Archive |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> Despite intense international criticism, the nuclear test was domestically popular and caused an immediate revival of Indira Gandhi's popularity, which had flagged considerably from its heights after the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 war]].<ref name="Buddha">{{cite news |last1=Chaturvedi |first1=Amit |title=Smiling Buddha: How India successfully conducted first nuclear test in Pokhran |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/smiling-buddha-how-india-successfully-conducted-first-nuclear-test-in-pokhran-101621301524390.html |access-date=4 July 2021 |work=Hindustan Times|agency=HT Media Ltd |date=18 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="Popularity">{{cite news |last1=Malhotra |first1=Inder |title=When the Buddha first smiled |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/when-the-buddha-first-smiled/ |access-date=5 July 2021 |work=The Indian Express |agency=Indian Express Group |date=15 May 2009}}</ref>

The transition to statehood for parts of [[Northeast India]] was successfully overseen under Indira Gandhi's premiership.<ref name="Statehood NE">{{cite news |last1=Karmakar |first1=Rahul |title=Renewed push for Statehood in the Northeast |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/renewed-push-for-statehood-in-the-northeast/article25032429.ece |access-date=20 July 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=25 September 2018}}</ref> In 1972, her administration granted statehood to [[Meghalaya]], Manipur and [[Tripura]], while the [[North-East Frontier Agency]] was declared a union territory and renamed [[Arunachal Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/01/23/archives/india-rearranges-northeast-region-3-states-and-2-territories.html|title=INDIA REARRANGES NORTHEAST REGION|newspaper=The New York Times|date=23 January 1972}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/arunachal-pradesh-309685-2016-02-20|title=Arunachal Pradesh became an Indian State today: Some interesting facts about the 'Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains' |date=20 February 2017 |website=India Today}}</ref> This was followed by the [[1975 Sikkimese monarchy referendum|annexation of Sikkim]] in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19780430-did-india-have-a-right-to-annex-sikkim-in-1975-818651-2015-02-18|title=Did India have a right to annex Sikkim in 1975?|first1=Sunil |last1=Sethi|date=18 February 2015 |website=India Today}}</ref> In the late 1960s and 1970s, Gandhi ordered the Indian army to [[Naxalite#Violence in West Bengal|militant Communist uprisings]] in the state of West Bengal. The [[Naxalite–Maoist insurgency]] in India was entirely suppressed during the [[The Emergency (India)|state of emergency]].<ref name="Naxalite">{{cite web |title=A historical introduction to Naxalism in India |url=https://www.efsas.org/publications/study-papers/an-introduction-to-naxalism-in-india/ |publisher=European Foundation for South Asian Studies |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref>

Manmohan Singh's administration initiated a massive reconstruction effort in Kashmir to stabilize the region and strengthened anti-terrorism laws with amendments to the [[Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act]] (UAPA).<ref name="UAPA">{{cite web|title=The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) |url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/UAPA-1967.pdf|website=nic.in |publisher=National Informatics Centre|access-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017053842/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/UAPA-1967.pdf|archive-date=17 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> After a period of initial success, insurgent infiltration and terrorism in Kashmir have increased since 2009. However, the Singh administration was successful in reducing terrorism in Northeast India.<ref name=Buzz7>[http://buzz7.com/news/infiltration-has-not-reduced-in-kashmir-insurgency-down-in-north-east-chidambaram.html Infiltration has not reduced in Kashmir, insurgency down in North East: Chidambaram] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107072045/http://buzz7.com/news/infiltration-has-not-reduced-in-kashmir-insurgency-down-in-north-east-chidambaram.html |date=7 January 2016 }}</ref> Under the background of the [[Punjab insurgency]], the [[Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act]] (TADA) was passed. The aim of the law is mainly directed toward eliminating the infiltrators from Pakistan. The law gave wide powers to [[law enforcement agencies]] for dealing with national terrorist and socially disruptive activities. The police were not obliged to produce a detainee before a judicial magistrate within 24 hours. The law was widely criticized by human rights organizations. After the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks]], the UPA government created the [[National Investigation Agency]] (NIA), in response to the need for a central agency to combat terrorism.<ref>{{cite web|author=TNN  |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-16/india/27904311_1_special-anti-terror-law-nia-terror-related |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022154006/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-16/india/27904311_1_special-anti-terror-law-nia-terror-related |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 October 2012 |title=Finally, govt clears central terror agency, tougher laws |date=16 December 2008 |work=[[The Times of India]]  |access-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> The Unique Identification Authority of India was established in February 2009 to implement the proposed [[Multipurpose National Identity Card]], to increase national security.<ref>{{cite book |last1=K |first1=Watfa, Mohamed |title=E-Healthcare Systems and Wireless Communications: Current and Future Challenges: Current and Future Challenges |date=2011 |publisher=IGI Global |isbn=978-1-61350-124-5 |page=190 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kOaeBQAAQBAJ&q=The+Unique+Identification+Authority+of+India+was+established+in+February+2009+to+implement+the+proposed+Multipurpose+National+Identity+Card%2C+with+the+objective+of+increasing+national+security&pg=PA190 |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>

=== Education and healthcare ===
The Congress government under Nehru oversaw the establishment of many institutions of higher learning, including the [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences]], the [[Indian Institutes of Technology]], the [[Indian Institutes of Management]] and the [[National Institutes of Technology]]. The [[National Council of Educational Research and Training]] (NCERT) was established in 1961 as a literary, scientific, and charitable Society under the Societies Registration Act.<ref name="NCERT">{{cite web |title=NCERT Full form |url=https://www.vedantu.com/full-form/ncert-full-form |publisher=Vedantu |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> Jawahar Lal Nehru outlined a commitment in his [[Five-Year Plans of India|five-year plans]] to guarantee free and compulsory primary education to all of India's children. Rajiv Gandhi's premiership pioneered public information infrastructure and innovation in India.<ref name="Rajiv Modern">{{cite news |last1=Shakti Shekhar |first1=Kumar |title=5 ways how Rajiv Gandhi changed India forever |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/5-ways-how-rajiv-gandhi-changed-india-forever-1318979-2018-08-20 |access-date=4 July 2021 |work=India Today |agency=Living Media Pvt. Ltd. |date=20 August 2018}}</ref> His government allowed the import of fully assembled [[motherboards]], which led to the price of computers being reduced.<ref name="computer">{{cite web |last1=Singal |first1=Aastha |title=Rajiv Gandhi –The Father of Information Technology & Telecom Revolution of India |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/338415 |website=entrepreneur.com/ |date=20 August 2019 |publisher=Entrepreneur India |access-date=4 July 2021}}</ref> The concept of having [[Navodaya Vidyalaya]] in every district of India was born as a part of the [[National Policy on Education]] (NPE).<ref name="NPE TOI">{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Sanjay |title=National Education Policy 2020: All You Need to Know |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/national-education-policy-2020-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/77239854.cms |access-date=24 July 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=30 July 2020}}</ref>

In 2005, The Congress-led government started the National Rural Health Mission, which employed about 500,000 community health workers. It was praised by economist [[Jeffrey Sachs]].<ref name="timepoverty">{{cite news|title=The End of Poverty|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1034738,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050317031951/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1034738,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 March 2005|first=Jeffrey D.|last=Sachs|date=6 March 2005|magazine=Time}}</ref> In 2006, it implemented a proposal to reserve 27 per cent of seats in the All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS), the [[Indian Institutes of Technology]] (IITs), the [[Indian Institutes of Management]] (IIMs), and other central higher education institutions, for [[Other Backward Classes]], which led to the [[2006 Indian anti-reservation protests]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Students-cry-out-No-reservation-please/articleshow/1513316.cms |title=Students cry out: No reservation please |work=The Times of India |date=3 May 2006 |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> The Singh government also continued the [[Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan]] program, which includes the introduction and improvement of mid-day school meals and the opening of new schools throughout India, especially in rural areas, to fight [[illiteracy]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Direct SSA funds for school panels|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/338571/direct-ssa-funds-school-panels.html|access-date=14 June 2013|newspaper=Deccan Herald}}</ref> During Manmohan Singh's prime ministership, eight Institutes of Technology were opened in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh.<ref>{{cite news|title=LS passes bill to provide IIT for eight states.|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/148456/ls-passes-bill-provide-iit.html|newspaper=Deccan Herald|access-date=14 June 2013}}</ref>

=== Foreign policies ===
[[File:NATO vs. Warsaw Pact (1949-1990).svg|thumb|The ''aligned countries'' on the northern hemisphere: [[NATO]] in blue and the [[Warsaw Pact]] in red.]]
[[File:Stevan Kragujevic, Tito, Naser, Nehru, Dolazak na Brione.jpg|thumb|right|alt=refer caption|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], and [[Josip Broz Tito]], pioneers of the [[Non-Aligned Movement]]]]
<!--[[File:President Barack Obama with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 2009-11-24(2).jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.15|alt= Erstwhile PM Manmohan Singh and Barack Obama the then US president, meet in Washington, D.C | Manmohan Singh with erstwhile President of the United States [[Barack Obama]] at the [[White House]]]]-->

Throughout much of the [[Cold War]] period, Congress supported a foreign policy of [[Non-Aligned Movement|non-alignment]] that called for India to form ties with both the Western and Eastern Blocs, but to avoid formal alliances with either.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/jawaharlal-nehru-the-architect-of-indias-foreign-policy/articleshow/58767014.cms |title=Non-Aligned Movement: Jawaharlal Nehru – The architect of India's foreign policy|work=The Times of India |date=20 May 2017 |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> US support for Pakistan led the party to endorse a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ChanakyaCode/the-indo-pak-war-1965-and-the-tashkent-agreement-role-of-external-powers/ |title=The Indo-Pak war 1965 and the Tashkent agreement: Role of external powers |date=24 October 2015 |work=The Times of India |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref> Congress has continued the foreign policy started by P.&nbsp;V. Narasimha Rao. This includes the [[India–Pakistan relations|peace process with Pakistan]], and the exchange of high-level visits by leaders from both countries.<ref name=peace>{{cite news|title=Position of negotiation.|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/loc-violation-are-talks-enough-or-should-india-take-action-582121.html|access-date=18 August 2014|work=[[Firstpost]]|agency=[[Network 18]]|publisher=Firstpost staff|date=9 January 2013}}</ref> The UPA government has tried to end the border dispute with the People's Republic of China through negotiations.<ref name="Economist news">{{cite news|title=India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, in Beijing to discuss matters of trade and border defence.|url=https://www.economist.com/news/world-week/21588422-politics-week
|access-date=18 August 2014|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|agency=[[The Economist Group]]|publisher=[[John Micklethwait]]|date=26 October 2013}}</ref><ref name=republic>{{cite news|title=Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Beijing|url=http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2008/01/14/indian-prime-minister-manmohan-singh-visits-beijing.html|access-date=18 August 2014|work=China Briefing|agency=Dezan Shira & Associates|publisher=Business Intelligence|date=14 January 2008}}</ref>
[[Afghanistan–India relations|Relations with Afghanistan]] have also been a concern for Congress.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/17474/indiaafghanistan_relations.html|title=India-Afghanistan Relations|access-date=11 December 2008|last=Bajoria|first=Jayshree|date=23 October 2008|publisher=[[Council on Foreign Relations]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081129231738/http://www.cfr.org/publication/17474/indiaafghanistan_relations.html|archive-date=29 November 2008}}</ref> During Afghan President [[Hamid Karzai]]'s visit to New Delhi in August 2008, Manmohan Singh increased the aid package to Afghanistan for the development of schools, health clinics, infrastructure, and defence.<ref name=BBC2>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7540204.stm|title=India announces more Afghan aid|date=4 August 2008|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> India is now one of the single largest aid donors to Afghanistan.<ref name=BBC2 /> To nourish political, security, cultural and economical connections with central Asian countries, it launched [[Connect Central Asia]] policy in 2012. This policy is aimed at strengthening and expanding India's relations with [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Turkmenistan]], and [[Uzbekistan]]. [[Look East policy (India)|Look East policy]] was initiated in 1992 by [[Narsimha Rao|Narasimha Rao]] to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as a regional power and a counterweight to the strategic influence of the People's Republic of China. Subsequently, in 1992 Rao decided to bring into open India's relations with Israel, which had been kept covertly active for a few years during his tenure as a Foreign Minister, and permitted Israel to open an embassy in New Delhi.<ref name="IsraelRao">{{cite news |title=A timeline of India's ties with Israel |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/9zCAQDe5L5mKdtU21A6pkN/Narendra-Modi-in-Israel-A-timeline-of-Indias-ties-with-Isr.html |access-date=2 August 2021 |work=Mint (newspaper) |agency=HT Media |date=4 July 2017}}</ref> Rao decided to maintain a distance from the [[Dalai Lama]] to avoid aggravating Beijing's suspicions and concerns, and made successful overtures to [[Tehran]].<ref name="Irish1996">{{cite news |last1=Bedi |first1=Rahul |title=Permission for Dalai Lama films denied |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/permission-for-dalai-lama-films-denied-1.41053 |access-date=2 August 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=19 April 1996}}</ref>

Even though the Congress foreign policy doctrine stands for maintaining friendly relations with all the countries of the world, it has always exhibited a special bias towards the Afro-Asian nations. It played active role in forming [[Group of 77]] (1964, [[Group of 15]] (1990), [[Indian Ocean Rim Association]], and [[SAARC]]. Indira Gandhi firmly tied Indian anti-imperialist interests in Africa to those of the Soviet Union. She openly and enthusiastically supported liberation struggles in Africa.<ref name="MEAIndira">{{cite web |title=India – Zambia Relations |url=https://mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Zambia_Jan_2016.pdf |publisher=Ministry of External Affairs (India) |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> In April 2006, New Delhi hosted an India–Africa summit attended by the leaders of 15 African states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/several-african-leaders-to-attend-africa-india-summit-au-says/|title=Several African leaders to attend Africa-India summit, AU says|access-date=11 December 2008|date=28 March 2008|publisher=African Press International}}</ref>

The party opposes arms race and advocates disarmament, both conventional and nuclear.<ref name="IndiaToday2000">{{cite news |last1=Mitra |first1=Sumit |title=Congress divided against itself on whether India should have more nuclear tests |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20000508-congress-divided-against-itself-on-whether-india-should-have-more-nuclear-tests-777525-2000-05-08 |access-date=7 July 2021 |work=India Today |agency=Living Media Pvt. Ltd. |date=8 May 2000}}</ref> When in power between 2004 and 2014, Congress worked on [[India–United States relations|India's relationship with the United States]]. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the US in July 2005 to negotiate an [[India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement]]. US president [[George W. Bush]] visited India in March 2006; during this visit, a nuclear agreement that would give India access to nuclear fuel and technology in exchange for the [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]] inspection of its civil [[nuclear reactor]]s was proposed. Over two years of negotiations, followed by approval from the IAEA, the [[Nuclear Suppliers Group]] and the [[United States Congress]], the agreement was signed on 10 October 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6513319.html| title=U.S., India ink historic civilian nuclear deal|access-date=11 December 2008|date=11 October 2008|work=People's Daily}}</ref> However, it has not signed [[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]] (NPT) and [[Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty]] (CTBT) due to their discriminatory and hegemonistic nature.<ref name="NTI2019">{{cite web |title=Indian Nuclear Weapons Program |url=https://www.nti.org/learn/countries/india/nuclear/ |publisher=The Nuclear Threat Initiative|access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="Sipri2010">{{cite report |last1=Gopalaswamy |first1=Bharat |title=India and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: To Sign or not to Sign? |date=January 2010 |url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/sipri-policy-briefs/india-and-comprehensive-nuclear-test-ban-treaty-sign-or-not-sign |publisher=SIPRI |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref>

Congress' policy has been to cultivate friendly relations with Japan as well as [[European Union]] countries including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.<ref name=conversation>{{cite web|last1=Haass|first1=Richard N.|title=A Conversation with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh|url=http://www.cfr.org/india/conversation-prime-minister-dr-manmohan-singh/p20840|date=23 November 2009|website=cfr.org|publisher=[[Council on Foreign Relations]]|access-date=18 August 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083228/http://www.cfr.org/india/conversation-prime-minister-dr-manmohan-singh/p20840|archive-date=19 August 2014}}</ref> Diplomatic relations with Iran have continued, and negotiations over the [[Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline]] have taken place.<ref name="Iran relations">{{cite web|title=The 'peace pipeline'|url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/the-peace-pipeline|work=The National|location=Abu Dhabi|date=28 May 2009|access-date=18 August 2014}}</ref> Congress' policy has also been to improve relations with other developing countries, particularly Brazil and South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|title=India-South Africa relations|url=http://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India-SouthAfrica_Relations.pdf|website=mea.gov.in|publisher=[[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]], [[Government of India]]|access-date=18 September 2014}}</ref>

== Structure and composition ==
{{See also|List of presidents of the Indian National Congress|All India Congress Committee|Congress Working Committee}}

[[File:Stamp of India - 1985 - Colnect 167209 - Indian National Congress.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|Stamps commemorating centenary of the Congress]]
At present, the president and the All India Congress Committee (AICC) are elected by delegates from state and district parties at an annual national conference; in every Indian state and union territory—or ''pradesh''—there is a [[Pradesh Congress Committee]] (PCC),<ref name="Committee">{{cite web |title=President of Pradesh Congress Committee |url=https://www.inc.in/en/pcc-presidents |publisher=INC web portal |access-date=26 May 2020 |archive-date=16 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416160136/https://www.inc.in/en/pcc-presidents |url-status=dead }}</ref> which is the state-level unit of the party responsible for directing political campaigns at local and state levels, and assisting the campaigns for parliamentary constituencies.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Past And Future of the Indian National Congress |url=http://ramachandraguha.in/archives/the-past-and-future-of-the-indian-national-congresscaravan.html |website=[[The Caravan]] |access-date=6 June 2018 |date=March 2010|via=[[Ramachandra Guha]]}}</ref> Each PCC has a working committee of twenty members, most of whom are appointed by the party president, the leader of the state party, who is chosen by the national president. Those elected as members of the states' legislative assemblies form the Congress Legislature Parties in the various state assemblies; their chairperson is usually the party's nominee for Chief Ministership. The party is also organised into various committees, and sections; it publishes a daily newspaper, the ''[[The National Herald (India)|National Herald]]''.<ref name="Kumar1990">{{cite book|author=Kedar Nath Kumar|title=Political Parties in India, Their Ideology and Organisation|url={{Google books|x3pJ8t4rxIsC|page=PA41|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 1990|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-205-9|pages=41–43}}</ref> Despite being a party with a structure, Congress under Indira Gandhi did not hold any organisational elections after 1972.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sanghvi|first1=Vijay|title=The Congress Indira to Sonia Gandhi|date=2006|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=978-8178353401|page=128|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npdqD_TXucQC&q=%22internal+democracy%22&pg=PA7|access-date=4 November 2016}}</ref> Nonetheless, in 2004, when the Congress was voted back into power, [[Manmohan Singh]] became the first Prime Minister not to be the president of the party since establishment of the practice of the president holding both positions.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/india-today-insight/story/rahul-gandhi-congress-president-gandhi-chief-1564307-2019-07-08|title=Goodbye, Rahul Gandhi?|website=India Today|agency=Living Media India Limited|date=8 July 2019|last=Deka|first=Kaushik|accessdate=22 May 2021}}</ref>

The AICC is composed of delegates sent from the PCCs.<ref name="Kumar1990" /> The delegates elect Congress committees, including the [[Congress Working Committee]], consisting of senior party leaders and office-bearers. The AICC takes all-important executive and political decisions. Since Indira Gandhi formed Congress&nbsp;(I) in 1978, the [[Congress President|President of the Indian National Congress]] has effectively been the party's national leader, head of the organisation, head of the Working Committee and all chief Congress committees, chief spokesman, and Congress' choice for [[Prime Minister of India]]. Constitutionally, the president is elected by the PCCs and members of the AICC; however, this procedure has often been bypassed by the Working Committee, which has elected its candidate.<ref name="Kumar1990" /> 
[[File:NSUI National Convention INQUILAB 1.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Congress student wing annual conference| [[National Students' Union of India]] (NSUI) National Convention Inquilab-1 in Jaipur]]
The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) consists of elected MPs in the Lok Sabha and [[Rajya Sabha]]. There is also a Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in each state. The CLP consists of all Congress [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Members of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLAs) in each state. In cases of states where the Congress is single-handedly ruling the government, the CLP leader in the [[chief minister]]. Other directly affiliated groups include:

* [[National Students' Union of India]] (NSUI), the students' wing of the Congress.
* [[Indian Youth Congress]], the party's youth wing.
* [[Indian National Trade Union Congress]], the labour union.
* [[All India Mahila Congress]], its women's division.
* [[Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Congress]], its peasant's wing.
* Congress [[Seva Dal]], its voluntary organisation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicalbaba.com/election-2014/all-india-2014-results-partywise/|title=All India 2014 Results|website=Political Baba|access-date=26 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527000402/http://www.politicalbaba.com/election-2014/all-india-2014-results-partywise/|archive-date=27 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/lok-sabha-election-2014/data|title=Lok Sabha Election 2014 Analysis, Infographics, Election 2014 Map, Election 2014 Charts|website=Firstpost|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142920/http://www.firstpost.com/lok-sabha-election-2014/data|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>
* All India Congress Minority Department, also referred to as Minority Congress is the minority wing of the Congress party. It is represented by the ''Pradesh Congress Minority Department'' in all the [[States and union territories of India|states of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/congress-minority-cell-opposes-quota-cut-36478|title=Congress minority cell opposes quota cut|website=Tribuneindia News Service|date=5 February 2020|access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref>

=== Election symbols ===
[[File:Cow and Calf INC.svg|thumb|150px|alt= Approved symbol of Indira Gandhi Congress| Election symbol of Congress (R) party during the period 1971–1977]]
{{as of|2021}}, the [[election symbol]] of Congress, as approved by the [[Election Commission of India]], is an image of a right hand with its palm facing front and its fingers pressed together;<ref name=hand>{{cite news|title=A Short History of the Congress Hand|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/03/28/a-short-history-of-the-congress-hand/|access-date=27 June 2014|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|agency=[[Dow Jones & Company]]|publisher=[[News Corp (2013–present)|News Corp]]|date=28 March 2012}}</ref> this is usually shown in the centre of a tricolor flag. The hand symbol was first used by Indira Gandhi when she split from the Congress (R) faction following the 1977 elections and created the New Congress (I).<ref name="hand symbol">{{cite news|title=How Indira's Congress got its hand symbol|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/lifestyle/how-indira-s-congress-got-its-hand-symbol-74104|access-date=27 June 2014|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=22 December 2010}}</ref> The hand is symbolic of strength, energy, and unity.

The party under the stewardship of Nehru had the symbol 'Pair of bullocks carrying a yoke' which struck a chord with masses who were predominantly farmers.<ref name=bullocks>{{cite news|title=Indian political party election symbols from 1951|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indian-political-party-election-symbols-from-1951-when-congress-had-bullocks-and-the-hand-was-forward-blocs/462504-81.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407090702/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indian-political-party-election-symbols-from-1951-when-congress-had-bullocks-and-the-hand-was-forward-blocs/462504-81.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 April 2014|access-date=27 June 2014|work=[[CNN-IBN]]|date=4 April 2014}}</ref> In 1969, due to internal conflicts within the Congress party, Indira Gandhi decided to break out and form a party of her own, with the majority of the Congress party members in support of her in the new party which was named Congress(R). The symbol of Indira's [[Congress&nbsp;(R)]] or Congress (Requisitionists) during the 1971–1977 period was a cow with a suckling calf.<ref name="Electoral Symbol">{{cite news |title=A tale of changing election symbols of Congress, BJP |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/news/a-tale-of-congress-bjp-election-symbols/articleshow/68732103.cms |access-date=26 May 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=5 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="book"/> After losing the support of 76 out of the party's 153 members in the Lok Sabha, Indira's new political outfit the Congress (I) or Congress (Indira) evolved and she opted for the hand (open palm) symbol.

=== Dynasticism ===
Dynasticism is fairly common in many [[List of political parties in India|political parties]] in India, including the Congress party.<ref name="Denyer2014">{{cite book|author=Simon Denyer|title=Rogue Elephant: Harnessing the Power of India's Unruly Democracy|url=https://archive.org/details/rogueelephanthar0000deny|url-access=registration|date=24 June 2014|publisher=Bloomsbury USA|isbn=978-1-62040-608-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rogueelephanthar0000deny/page/115 115]–116}}</ref> Six members of the [[Nehru–Gandhi family]] have been presidents of the party.<ref name="Gandhi presidents">{{cite news |last1=Radhakrishnan |first1=Sruthi |title=Presidents of Congress past: A look at the party's presidency since 1947 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/presidents-of-congress-past-a-look-at-the-partys-presidency-since-1947/article21639174.ece |access-date=26 May 2020 |work=The Hindu |date=14 December 2017}}</ref> The party started being controlled by Indira Gandhi's family during [[The Emergency (India)|the emergency]] with her younger son, Sanjay taking on a prominent role.<ref name="Tarlo2003">{{cite book|author=Emma Tarlo|title=Unsettling Memories: Narratives of the Emergency in Delhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3IO1WB2H8UUC&pg=PR5|date=24 July 2003|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-23122-1|pages=27–29}}</ref> This was characterized by servility and sycophancy towards the family which later led to a hereditary succession of Rajiv Gandhi as successor after Indira Gandhi's assassination, as well as the party's selection of Sonia Gandhi as Rajiv's successor after his assassination, which she turned down.<ref name="Bose2013">{{cite book|author=Sumantra Bose|title=Transforming India|url={{Google books|reiwAAAAQBAJ|page=PP8|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=16 September 2013|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-72819-6|pages=28–29}}</ref> Since the formation of Congress (I) by Indira Gandhi in 1978, the party president has been from her family except for the period between 1991 and 1998. In the last three elections to the Lok Sabha combined, 37 per cent of Congress party MPs had family members precede them in politics.<ref name="Chandra2016">{{cite book|editor1=Kanchan Chandra|editor-link1=Kanchan Chandra|author1=Adam Ziegfeld|title=Democratic Dynasties: State, Party and Family in Contemporary Indian Politics|url={{Google books|tesIDAAAQBAJ|page=PR10|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=28 April 2016|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-107-12344-1|page=105}}</ref> However, in recent times there have been calls from within the party to restructure the organization. A group of senior leaders wrote a letter to the party president to reform the Congress allowing others to take charge. There was also visible discontent post the loss in 2019 elections after which a [[G-23 (political group)|group of 23 senior leaders]] wrote to the Congress President to restructure the party.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive: Complete Text of Congress "Letter Bomb" And Its Big Points |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/exclusive-complete-text-of-congress-letter-bomb-and-its-big-points-2286397 |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

== Presence in states and Union Territories ==
{{See also|List of chief ministers from the Indian National Congress}}
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Indian National Congress is the only political party in India, which has experience of running the state government of every Indian states in post-independence Indian history. From the first general election in 1952 when Jawaharlal Nehru led it to a landslide victory, the Congress won in the majority of the following state elections and paved the way for a Nehruvian era of single-party dominance. The party during the post-independence era has governed most of the [[States and union territories of India]].<ref name="Dominance">{{cite web |title=ERA OF ONE PARTY DOMINANCE |url=https://old.amu.ac.in/emp/studym/100017103.pdf |publisher=[[Aligarh Muslim University]] |access-date=12 March 2022}}</ref> As of December 2023, the INC is in power in the states of [[Telengana]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], and [[Karnataka]]. In [[Jharkhand]], it shares power as a junior ally with [[Jharkhand Mukti Morcha]].<ref name="JH Alliance">{{cite news |last1=Joshi |first1=Poornima |title=Jharkhand polls: JMM-led alliance trounces the BJP in Jharkhand |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/jharkhand-polls-jmm-congress-alliance-set-to-trounce-bjp/article30381608.ece |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=Business Line|location=Chennai |date=23 December 2019}}</ref> In [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Tamil Nadu]] its a junior ally of the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]], [[Communist Party of India|CPI]], [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]], [[Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi|VCK]] under the coalition [[Secular Progressive Alliance]] or SPA. The Congress has previously been the sole party in power in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, [[Meghalaya]], Haryana, [[Uttarakhand]] and in the [[States and union territories of India|Union Territory]] of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]. Congress has enjoyed overwhelming electoral majority for over decades in [[Arunachal Pradesh]], Delhi, Kerala, [[Maharashtra]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. It has a regional political alliance in [[Bihar]] it is named as [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|Mahagathbandhan]], in Tamil Nadu it is the [[Secular Progressive Alliance]], and in Kerala, it is the [[United Democratic Front (Kerala)|United Democratic Front]].<ref name="TN Alliance">{{cite news |title=DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance wins 21 Corporations in sweep of urban civic polls |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/feb/22/dmk-led-secular-progressive-alliance-wins-21-corporations-in-sweep-of-urban-civic-polls-2422590.html |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=[[The New Indian Express]] |agency=Express Publications (Madurai) Limited |date=23 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="KL Alliance">{{cite news |last1=Chandran |first1=Cynthia |title=MM Hassan takes charge as the UDF convener |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2020/oct/03/mm-hassan-takes-charge-as-the-udf-convener-2205259.html |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=The New Indian Express |agency=Express Publications (Madurai) Limited}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; rowspan="2" |Sl No.
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; rowspan="2" |State
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; rowspan="2" |Govt Since 
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; colspan="4" |Chief Minister
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; colspan="2" ; rowspan="2" |Alliances
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; rowspan="2" |Seats in Assembly
|-
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ;|Name
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ; colspan="2"|Party
!Style="background-color:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};color:white" ;|Party seats
|-
!Colspan="10"|INC Government
|-
|1
|[[Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly|Himachal Pradesh]]
|[[2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|8 December 2022]]
|[[Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu]]
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress}};|
|INC
|34
|
|
||{{Composition bar|34|68|hex=#00BBFF}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|2
|rowspan="2"|[[Karnataka Legislative Assembly|Karnataka]]
|rowspan="2"|[[2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election|14 May 2023]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Siddaramaiah]]
|rowspan="2"style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}};|
|rowspan="2"|INC
|rowspan="2"|135
|{{Party color cell|Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha}}
|[[Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha|SKP]] (1)
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|137|224|hex=#00BBFF}}
|-
|{{Party color cell|Independent}}
|[[Independent politician|IND]](1)
|-
|3
|[[Telangana Legislative Assembly|Telangana]]
|[[2023 Telangana Legislative Assembly election|7 December 2023]]
|[[Revanth Reddy]]
|style="background:{{Party color|Indian National Congress}};|
|INC
|64
|{{party color cell|Communist Party of India}}
| [[Communist Party of India|CPI]] (1)
|{{Composition bar|65|119|hex=#00BBFF}}
|-
!Colspan="10"|Alliance Government
|-
|rowspan="4"|4
|rowspan="4"|[[Jharkhand Legislative Assembly|Jharkhand]]
|rowspan="4"|[[2019 Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election|28 December 2019]]
|rowspan="4"|[[Champai Soren]]
|rowspan="4"style="background:{{party color|Jharkhand Mukti Morcha}};|
|rowspan="4"|[[Jharkhand Mukti Morcha|JMM]]
|rowspan="4"|30
| bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
|INC(17)
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|50|81|hex=#00BBFF}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Rashtriya Janata Dal}} 
|[[Rashtriya Janata Dal|RJD]] (1)
|-
| {{party color cell|Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)}}
|[[Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)|NCP (SP)]] (1)
|-
|{{party color cell|Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation}}
|[[Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation|CPI(ML)L]] (1)
|-
|rowspan="4"|5
|rowspan="4"|[[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Tamil Nadu]]
|rowspan="4"|[[2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|7 May 2021]]
|rowspan="4"| [[M. K. Stalin]]
|rowspan="4"style="background:{{party color|Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam}};|
|rowspan="4"|[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]]
|rowspan="4"|133
| bgcolor="{{party color|Indian National Congress}}" |
|INC(18)
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|159|234|hex=#00BBFF}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi}}
| [[Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi|VCK]] (4)
|-
| {{party color cell|Communist Party of India}}
| [[Communist Party of India|CPI]] (2)
|-
|{{party color cell|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}
| [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]] (2)
|-
|}

== Legislative leaders ==

=== List of prime ministers ===
{{Further|List of prime ministers of India}}
The Congress has governed a majority of the period of independence in India (for 55 years), whereby [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], [[Indira Gandhi]] and [[Manmohan Singh]] are the country's longest-serving [[Prime Minister of India|prime ministers]]. The first general election the Congress contested after the Indian independence was in [[1951–52 Indian general election|1951–52 general elections]], in which it won 364 of the 489 seats and 45 per cent of the total votes.<ref name="1952 GE Results">{{cite news |title=First general elections in India: All you need to know |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/general-elections-308073-2016-02-10 |access-date=21 July 2021 |work=India Today |agency=Living Media Pvt Ltd. |date=10 February 2016}}</ref> The Indian National Congress became the largest party in the Lok Sabha for next four consecutive general elections viz. [[2nd Lok Sabha]], [[3rd Lok Sabha]], [[4th Lok Sabha]], and [[5th Lok Sabha]].

[[Gulzarilal Nanda]] took office in 1966 following the death of [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] for 13 days as the [[acting Prime Minister]] of India.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/profile/story/19960515-at-98-two-time-interim-pm-gulzarilal-nanda-is-the-epitome-of-gandhian-ideals-834853-1996-05-15|title=At 98, two-time interim PM Gulzarilal Nanda is the epitome of Gandhian ideals|last=Mahurkar|first=Uday|work=[[India Today]]|date=15 May 1996|access-date=4 February 2019}}</ref> His earlier 13-day stint as the second Prime Minister of India followed the death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964. Indira Gandhi, also the first and so far the only woman Prime Minister of India, served the second-longest term as a prime minister.<ref name=indira>{{cite news|url=https://www.theweek.in/content/archival/news/india/1966-indira-gandhi.html|title=Today in 1966: Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister|last=Vijaykumar|first=Neeti|work=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]|date=19 January 2017|access-date=4 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216132208/http://www.theweek.in/content/archival/news/india/1966-indira-gandhi.html|archive-date=16 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Rajiv Gandhi]] served from 1984 to 1989. He took office on the day of the [[assassination of Indira Gandhi]] in 1984 after the Sikh riots and at age 40 was the youngest PM of India. Known for economic reforms that were brought under his tenure, [[PV Narasimha Rao]] served as the 10th prime minister of India. He was also the first PM to come from [[southern India]].<ref name="Rao">{{cite web |title=Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-p-v-narasimha-rao-2/ |publisher=PMO India |access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> The Congress party and its allies achieved a majority in the Lok Sabha in 2004 and 2009 general elections. Manmohan Singh served two complete terms as the Prime Minister and headed United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments two times. Though party suffered a heavy defeat in general elections held in 2014 and 2019. As of January 2024, there are 30 members of the party in Rajya Sabha (upper house of the parliament).<ref name=pp />

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| No.
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Prime ministers
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Portrait
! colspan="3" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Term in office<ref>{{cite web|title=Former Prime Ministers|url=http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former-prime-ministers/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009232119/http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former-prime-ministers/|archive-date=9 October 2014|access-date=2 January 2015|publisher=PM India}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Lok Sabha
! rowspan="2" style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Constituency
|-
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Start
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| End
! style="background:#00bfff; color:white;"| Tenure
|-
| rowspan="4" |1
| rowspan="4" |[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| rowspan="4" |[[File:Jnehru.jpg|80px]]
| rowspan="4" |{{dts|15 August 1947}}
| rowspan="4" |{{dts|27 May 1964}}
| rowspan="4" |{{age in years and days|1947|08|15|1964|5|27}}
| colspan ="2" | [[Constituent Assembly of India|Constituent Assembly]]
|-
| [[1st Lok Sabha|1st]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Phulpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Phulpur]]
|-
| [[2nd Lok Sabha|2nd]]
|-
| rowspan="5" | [[3rd Lok Sabha|3rd]]
|-
|''Acting''
| [[Gulzarilal Nanda]]
| [[File:Gulzarilal Nanda 1999 stamp of India.jpg|80px]]
| rowspan="2"|{{dts|27 May 1964}}
| rowspan="2"|{{dts|11 January 1966}}
|{{age in years and days|1964|5|27|1964|6|9}}
| [[Sabarkantha (Lok Sabha constituency)|Sabarkantha]]
|-
|2
|[[Lal Bahadur Shastri]]
|[[File:Lal Bahadur Shastri (cropped).jpg|80px]]
|{{age in years and days|1964|6|9|1966|1|11}}
|[[Allahabad (Lok Sabha constituency)|Allahabad]]
|-
|''Acting''
|[[Gulzarilal Nanda]]
|[[File:Gulzarilal Nanda 1999 stamp of India.jpg|80px]]
| {{dts|11 January 1966}}
| {{dts|24 January 1966}}
|{{age in years and days|1966|1|11|1966|1|24}}
|[[Sabarkantha (Lok Sabha constituency)|Sabarkantha]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |3
| rowspan="4" |[[Indira Gandhi]]
| rowspan="4" |[[File:Indira Gandhi in 1967.jpg|80px]]
| rowspan="3" |{{dts|24 January 1966}}
| rowspan="3" |{{dts|24 March 1977}}
| rowspan="4" |15 years, 350 days
|[[List of Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh|Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh]]
|-
| [[4th Lok Sabha|4th]]
| rowspan ="2" |[[Rae Bareli (Lok Sabha constituency)|Rae Bareli]]
|-
| [[5th Lok Sabha|5th]]
|-
| {{dts|14 January 1980}}
| {{dts|31 October 1984}}
| rowspan ="2" | [[7th Lok Sabha|7th]]
|[[Medak (Lok Sabha constituency)|Medak]]
|-
| rowspan ="2" |4
| rowspan ="2" |[[Rajiv Gandhi]]
| rowspan ="2" |[[File:Rajiv Gandhi (1987).jpg|80px]]
| rowspan ="2" |{{dts|31 October 1984}}
| rowspan ="2" |{{dts|2 December 1989}}
| rowspan ="2" |{{age in years and days|1984|10|31|1989|12|2}}
| rowspan ="2" |[[Amethi (Lok Sabha constituency)|Amethi]]
|-
| [[8th Lok Sabha|8th]]
|-
|5
|[[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
|[[File:Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| {{dts|21 June 1991}}
| {{dts|16 May 1996}}
|{{age in years and days|1991|6|21|1996|5|16}}
| [[10th Lok Sabha|10th]]
|[[Nandyal (Lok Sabha constituency)|Nandyal]]
|-
| rowspan ="2" |6
| rowspan ="2" |[[Manmohan Singh]]
| rowspan ="2" |[[File:Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in March 2014.jpg|80px]]
| rowspan ="2" |{{dts|22 May 2004}}
| rowspan ="2" |{{dts|26 May 2014}}
| rowspan="2" |{{age in years and days|2004|5|22|2014|5|26}}
| [[14th Lok Sabha|14th]]
| rowspan ="2" |[[List of Rajya Sabha members from Assam|Rajya Sabha MP from Assam]]
|-
| [[15th Lok Sabha|15th]]
|}

=== List of deputy prime ministers ===
{{further|Deputy Prime Minister of India}}
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|No.
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Portrait
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Name<br/>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!colspan=3 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Term in office
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|[[Lok Sabha|{{black|Lok Sabha}}]]<br/>{{small|([[Elections in India|{{black|Election}}]])}}
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Constituency<br/>{{small|(House)}}
!rowspan=2 style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|[[Prime Minister of India|{{black|Prime Minister}}]]
|-
!style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Assumed office
!style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Left office
!style="background-color:#19AAED;color:black"|Time in office
|-
!1
|[[File:Sardar patel (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Vallabhbhai&nbsp;Patel]]'''<br/><small>(1875–1950)</small>
|15 August 1947
|15 December 1950
|3 years, 122 days
|[[Constituent Assembly of India|Constituent Assembly]]
|N/A
|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
|-
!2
|[[File:Morarji Desai During his visit to the United States of America .jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Morarji Desai]]'''<br/><small>(1896–1995)</small>
|13 March 1967
|19 July 1969
|2 years, 128 days
|[[4th Lok Sabha|4th]]<br/><small>([[1967 Indian general election|1967]])</small>
|[[Surat Lok Sabha constituency|Surat]]<br/><small>([[Lok Sabha]])</small>
|[[Indira Gandhi]]
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|India|Politics|Liberalism|Socialism}} 
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[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]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{Notelist|40em}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{cite book|author=Mahendra Prasad Singh|year=1981|title=Split in a Predominant Party: The Indian National Congress in 1969 |url={{Google books|UOQRWuMXyRMC|page=PA42|plainurl=yes}}|publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-140-9}}

== Further reading ==
<!-- alphabetical order please -->
{{refbegin|30em}}
* ''The Indian National Congress: An Historical Sketch'', by Frederick Marion De Mello. Published by H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1934.
* ''The Indian National Congress'', by Hemendra Nath Das Gupta. Published by J. K. Das Gupta, 1946.
* ''Indian National Congress: A Descriptive Bibliography of India's Struggle for Freedom'', by Jagdish Saran Sharma. Published by S. Chand, 1959.
* ''Social Factors in the Birth and Growth of the Indian National Congress Movement'', by Ramparkash Dua. Published by S. Chand, 1967.
* ''Split in a Predominant Party: The Indian National Congress in 1969'', by Mahendra Prasad Singh. Abhinav Publications, 1981. {{ISBN|81-7017-140-7}}.
* ''Concise History of the Indian National Congress, 1885–1947'', by B. N. Pande, Nisith Ranjan Ray, Ravinder Kumar, Manmath Nath Das. Published by Vikas Pub. House, 1985. {{ISBN|0-7069-3020-7}}.
* ''The Indian National Congress: An Analytical Biography'', by Om P. Gautam. Published by B.R. Pub. Corp., 1985.
* ''A Century of Indian National Congress, 1885–1985'', by Pran Nath Chopra, Ram Gopal, Moti Lal Bhargava. Published by Agam Prakashan, 1986.
* ''The Congress Ideology and Programme, 1920–1985'', by Pitambar Datt Kaushik. Published by Gitanjali Pub. House, 1986. {{ISBN|81-85060-16-9}}.
* ''Struggling and Ruling: The Indian National Congress, 1885–1985'', by Jim Masselos. Published by Sterling Publishers, 1987.
* ''The Encyclopedia of Indian National Congress'', by A. Moin Zaidi, Shaheda Gufran Zaidi, Indian Institute of Applied Political Research. Published by S.Chand, 1987.
* ''Indian National Congress: A Reconstruction'', by Iqbal Singh, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. Published by Riverdale Company, 1988. {{ISBN|0-913215-32-5}}.
* ''INC, the Glorious Tradition'', by A. Moin Zaidi, Indian National Congress. AICC. Published by Indian Institute of Applied Political Research, 1989.
* ''Indian National Congress: A Select Bibliography'', by Manikrao Hodlya Gavit, Attar Chand. Published by U.D.H. Pub. House, 1989. {{ISBN|81-85044-05-8}}.
* ''The Story of Congress PilgrFile: 1885–1985'', by A. Moin Zaidi, Indian National Congress. Published by Indian Institute of Applied Political Research, 1990. {{ISBN|81-85355-46-0}}. (7 vols)
* ''Indian National Congress in England'', by Harish P. Kaushik. Published by Friends Publications, 1991.
* ''Women in Indian National Congress, 1921–1931'', by Rajan Mahan. Published by Rawat Publications, 1999.
* ''History of Indian National Congress, 1885–2002'', by Deep Chand Bandhu. Published by Kalpaz Publications, 2003. {{ISBN|81-7835-090-4}}.
* [[Bipan Chandra]], Amales Tripathi, Barun De. ''Freedom Struggle''. India: National Book Struggle. {{ISBN|978-81-237-0249-0}}.
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons and category|Indian National Congress}}
* {{official website}}
* {{Curlie|Regional/Asia/India/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Parties/Indian_National_Congress}}
* {{GovPubs|Indian%20National%20Congress|Congress Party}}  
* {{Internet Archive author|sname=Indian National Congress}} 
* {{Britannica|285841}}

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