
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of India's oldest political parties, founded in December 1885. It is a recognized national party and a major opposition party at the Union level.
Party President
The Congress party is committed to protecting the Constitution, democracy and social justice.
Party History
- 1885Indian National Congress founded
The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay on 28 December 1885, with Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee as president.
- 1906Swaraj becomes a major Congress demand
The Calcutta session under Dadabhai Naoroji emphasized Swaraj as a central political objective.
- 1917First woman Congress president
Annie Besant became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress.
- 1925First Indian woman Congress president
Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman to preside over the Congress.
- 1929Purna Swaraj resolution
The Lahore session under Jawaharlal Nehru adopted the Purna Swaraj declaration.
- 1931Karachi session
The Congress adopted resolutions on fundamental rights and national economic policy.
- 1947Independence
Congress leaders played a central role in India's independence movement and the transition to self-government.
- 1950Republic of India
India became a republic and Congress remained the dominant national political party in the early decades after independence.
- 1966Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister and later became Congress president.
- 1978Congress (I) period
Indira Gandhi led the reconstituted Congress organization following the party split.
- 1984Historic Lok Sabha victory
Congress won 404 Lok Sabha seats under Rajiv Gandhi.
- 1991Narasimha Rao government
P. V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister and the government initiated major economic reforms.
- 1998Sonia Gandhi becomes president
Sonia Gandhi became Congress president and later led the party through the UPA era.
- 2004UPA government
Congress emerged as the largest party in the UPA coalition and formed the Union government.
- 2009Second UPA victory
Congress won 206 Lok Sabha seats and returned to government with the UPA.
- 2014Opposition era begins
Congress won 44 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 general election.
- 2017Rahul Gandhi becomes president
Rahul Gandhi became Congress president in December 2017.
- 2019Sonia Gandhi returns as interim president
Sonia Gandhi resumed the role of interim Congress president.
- 2022Mallikarjun Kharge elected president
Mallikarjun Kharge was elected president of the Indian National Congress in October 2022.
- 2024Lok Sabha recovery
Congress won 99 Lok Sabha seats, improving from 52 seats in 2019.
- 2026Congress expands state governments
Congress remained in government in Himachal Pradesh and Telangana and continued governing Karnataka while leading the government in Kerala after the 2026 assembly election.
Top Leadership
- RGRahul GandhiLeader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha
- MKMallikarjun KhargeCongress President & Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha
- SGSonia GandhiChairperson, Congress Parliamentary Party
- KCK. C. VenugopalGeneral Secretary (Organisation)
- PGPriyanka Gandhi VadraGeneral Secretary
- JRJairam RameshGeneral Secretary
Election Performance
(Lok Sabha)State-wise Strength
(7 states)- KarnatakaDKD. K. Shivakumar2026
- KeralaVDV. D. Satheesan2026
- Tamil NaduCJC. Joseph Vijay2026
- Jammu and KashmirOAOmar Abdullah2024
- JharkhandHSHemant Soren2024
- TelanganaARA. Revanth Reddy2023
- Himachal PradeshSSSukhvinder Singh Sukhu2022
Financial Overview
(FY 2024-25)- Expenditure₹11119.50 Cr100.0%
- Surplus₹00.0%
Filed with the Election Commission of India
Organisational Structure
A network reaching from the national council down to booth level.
Major Policies & Agenda
Emphasis on equality, affirmative action, welfare and protection of constitutional rights.
Focus on inclusive economic growth, employment, small businesses, farmers and workers.
Protection of the Constitution, parliamentary democracy, civil liberties and institutional independence.
Commitment to equal citizenship and freedom of religion.
Support for stronger states and cooperative federalism.
Focus on women's political representation, economic participation, safety and equal opportunity.
Emphasis on employment creation, apprenticeships, education and opportunities for young people.
Ideology & Vision
Building an inclusive, democratic and socially just India guided by the Constitution.
Alliances
- INDIAIndian National Developmental Inclusive AllianceMajor Opposition Alliance · since 2023
- UPAUnited Progressive AllianceFormer Alliance · since 2004
Symbol & Colours

- Saffron
- White
- Green
Connect with INC
Key Highlights
- One of India's Oldest PartiesFounded in 1885 and central to India's freedom movement and post-independence politics.
- 99 Lok Sabha SeatsWon 99 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
- National PartyRecognized as a National Party by the Election Commission of India.
- Government in Four StatesCongress holds the Chief Minister's office in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana as of September 2026.
Past Presidents
(56)- Mallikarjun Kharge2022 – present
- Sonia Gandhi2019 – 2022
- Rahul Gandhi2017 – 2019
- Sonia Gandhi1998 – 2017
- Sitaram Kesri1996 – 1998
- P. V. Narasimha Rao1992 – 1996
- Rajiv Gandhi1985 – 1991
- Indira Gandhi1978 – 1984
- Kasu Brahmananda Reddy1977 – 1978
- D. K. Barooah1975 – 1977
- Shankar Dayal Sharma1972 – 1974
- Jagjivan Ram1970 – 1971
- S. Nijalingappa1968 – 1969
- K. Kamaraj1964 – 1967
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy1960 – 1963
- Indira Gandhi1959 – 1960
- U. N. Dhebar1955 – 1959
- Jawaharlal Nehru1951 – 1955
- Purushottam Das Tandon1950 – 1951
- Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya1948 – 1949
- J. B. Kripalani1946 – 1947
- Rajendra Prasad1939 – 1940
- Subhas Chandra Bose1938 – 1939
- Jawaharlal Nehru1936 – 1937
- Rajendra Prasad1934 – 1935
- Vallabhbhai Patel1931 – 1932
- Jawaharlal Nehru1929 – 1930
- S. Srinivasa Iyengar1926 – 1927
- Sarojini Naidu1925 – 1926
- Mahatma Gandhi1924 – 1925
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad1923 – 1924
- Chittaranjan Das1922 – 1923
- Hakim Ajmal Khan1921 – 1922
- Lala Lajpat Rai1920 – 1921
- Motilal Nehru1919 – 1920
- Annie Besant1917 – 1918
- Madan Mohan Malaviya1909 – 1910
- Rash Behari Ghosh1907 – 1908
- Dadabhai Naoroji1906 – 1907
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale1905 – 1906
- N. G. Chandavarkar1900 – 1901
- Romesh Chunder Dutt1899 – 1900
- Ananda Mohan Bose1898 – 1899
- C. Sankaran Nair1897 – 1898
- Rahimtulla M. Sayani1896 – 1897
- Surendranath Banerjee1895 – 1896
- Alfred Webb1894 – 1895
- Dadabhai Naoroji1893 – 1894
- Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee1892 – 1893
- P. Ananda Charlu1891 – 1892
- Pherozeshah Mehta1890 – 1891
- Sir William Wedderburn1889 – 1890
- George Yule1888 – 1889
- Badruddin Tyabji1887 – 1888
- Dadabhai Naoroji1886 – 1887
- Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee1885 – 1886
All information is sourced from official and public records.
