"We are a party with a glorious past . We are the party of the future ,

1. "We are a party with a glorious past. We are the party of the future, It is for us to ensure that it holds out hope for each and every Indian. That is our calling and our obligation. Let the message go forth from this Plenary that the Congress is aware of its strengths, conscious of its responsibilities. Together we will build on our strengths. Together we will honour our responsibilities. Together we will strive our utmost to prove worthy of the trust and confidence that the people continue to repose in us."

2. The Indian National Congress(commonly known as the Congress)is one of the two major political parties in India. • It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. • Founded on 28 December 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, DadabhaiNaoroji, DinshawWacha, Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, Surendranath Banerjee, MonomohunGhose, MahadevGovindRanade and William Wedderburn • These were the members of the occultist movement-Theosophical Society

4. Until the time of independence of India on August 15, 1947, the Indian National Congress was the largest and most prominent Indian public organization, and central and defining influence of the Indian Independence Movement. • Although initially and primarily a political body, the Congress transformed itself into a national vehicle for social reform and human upliftment. • The Congress was the strongest foundation and defining influence of modern Indian nationalism.

6. The pre-independence era, when the party was at the forefront of the struggle for independence and was instrumental in the whole of India. • The Indian National Congress became the leader of the Indian Independence Movement, with over 15 million members and over 70 million participants in its struggle against British rule in India. • The moderates were more educated and wanted to win people's faith to lead the nation to independence without bloodshed; the activists however wanted to follow a revolutionary path and make it a militant organization

7. The post-independence era, when the party has enjoyed a prominent place in Indian politics, ruling the country for 48 of the 60 years since independence in 1947. •  first taste of electoral defeat (at the national level) in 1977. • The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian political spectrum. • After independence in 1947, it became the nation's dominant political party, led by the Nehru-Gandhi family for the most part; major challenges for party leadership have only recently formed.

8. In the 2009 general elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha, with 205 of its candidates getting elected to the 543-member house. • Consequently it, along with a coalition of allies called the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was able to gain a majority and form the government.

9. Formation of the present Government! • In the 2004 general elections, the Congress alliance won the largest number of seats. •  Sonia Gandhi was nominated by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance to be the next Prime Minister. • refused to take the position based on her "inner voice“ • Dr. Manmohan Singh was sworn-in as Prime Minister on 22 May 2004

10. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), AIADMK, SP, RJD, LJP, TDP,Communist Party of India(CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPI(M)) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) • Won the elections again in 2009 • the only party to achieve 206 seats in 20 years. • The youth supported the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. • The Congress's popularity has increased by 61% during the elections.

11. Ideology and policies • the party has favored farmers, laborers, labor unions, and religious and ethnic minorities • it has opposed unregulated business and finance, and favored progressive income taxes. •  in recent years the party had adopted centrist economic and social democratic agenda.  • Today, the INC advocates neo-liberal policies which includes populism, social liberalism, secularism and free enterprise system with government regulations such as public–private partnership (PPP) model.

12. Social policy • Social policy of the INC is based on Gandhian concept of Sarvodaya (upliftment of all sections of the society.) • special emphasis on the welfare of the economically and socially disadvantaged sections of the society. • emphasis on employment generation for rural population • The party supports family planning with birth control but opposes elective abortion.

13. Economic policy • emphasized on the importance of the public sector aimed at establishing a "socialistic pattern of society". • It has  now adopted free marketpolicies. • It ensures that the weaker sections are not affected too hard by the liberalization process.

14. Foreign policy • Traditionally, nonalignment has been the bedrock of the foreign policy of the INC..

15. Congress in various states • Congress is currently in power in eight states (Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Manipur,  Meghalaya, Mizoram and Rajasthan) where the party enjoys a majority of its own. • In five other states — Assam, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Maharashtra — it shares power with other alliance partners. • In Tamil Nadu it lost power in the 1967 assembly election and has not been able to recapture it since then.

17. Controversies and criticisms • Since the party has dominated the political landscape of India for over a century, there are many charges of corruption and similar charges against it. • Asurvey by an Indian magazineOutlook and a television news channel CNN-IBN in 2011 said that the Congress was seen as the most corrupt political party in India.

18. 1947- Anti-Godse riots • After the knowledge that the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse, was a MaharashtrianBrahmin,someworkers of the Congress Party went on a rampage, against the supporters of Savarkar and Nathuram Godse, burning their houses and putting thousands in jail.

19. 1975-1977- State of Emergency • Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok Sabha void on grounds of electoral malpractice. • using her strong parliamentary majority, her ruling Congress Party had amended the Constitution and altered the balance of power between the Centre and the States in favour of the Central Government. • One of the most controversial periods in the history of independent India.

20. 1984 Anti-Sikh riots • Many Congress workers including Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and Kamal Nath were accused of inciting and participating in Sikh riots after Operation Bluestar. • Allegations that the government destroyed evidence and shielded the guilty. • violence was perpetrated by INC activists and sympathizers during the riots. • Widely criticized for doing very little at the time, acting as a conspirator.  • "the Mother of all Cover-ups"

21. Bofors Scandal • The Bofors scandal was a major corruption scandal in India in the 1980s. • Rajiv Gandhi along with Win Chadha and Italian businessman OttavioQuattrocchi were accused of receiving kickbacks to help Bofors win a bid in 1986 to sell 155 mm field howitzers to the Indian Army. • Led to the defeat of Gandhi's ruling Congress party in the November 1989 general elections. • scale of the scandal was to the tune of Rs. 400 million.[16]

22. Allegations of religious bias • Accused of being pro-Muslim, pro-Islam supporting Sharia Laws and showing unnatural favouritism to the Indian Muslim community and toleration. • being soft on Islamic extremism, Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic terrorism and Islamism. • for the sake of vote bank politics. • Ignoring the plea of Kashmiri Pandits for action against Islamic terrorists. • Kashmiri Pandits have been in exile since January 1990 following the outbreak of terrorism in Kashmir.[2

23. accused by Hindu and Christian organizations for completely ignoring the Love Jihad • Calling the Love Jihad activity as dubious • allegations by Hindu and Christian organizations as un-secular for the fear of losing Muslim votes. • reports that local Muslim politicians have been silently supporting and promoting the 'Love Jihad' campaign in Kerala and Karnataka.

24. Alleging the role of Hindu extremist groups in 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks • In 2010, Wikileaks released documents attesting to the Indian National Congress suggesting the involvement of right-wing Hindu groups in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.[ • The party's stand on this conspiracy theory kept on changing. • The main point put forth was that Hemant Karkare , Maharashtra ATS Chief, had been gunned down by Hindu extremists who used the 26th November Mumbai attacks as a cover.

25. Karkare had led the investigation into the September 2008 Malegaon blasts which claimed the lives of six people. Initially the police suspected Muslim terrorists. • However, authorities recently arrested eleven Hindus, including an Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel. Police identified five of those arrested as having ties to the BJP's youth wing in their earlier years. • Two others had ties to a recent addition to the SanghParivar family of Hindu nationalist organizations

26. 2G spectrum scam •  2G licenses were issued to private telecom players at throwaway prices in 2008. • The CAG estimates the Spectrum scam has cost the government Rs. 1.76 lakh crore. • Rules and procedures were flouted while issuing licenses. •  A. Raja has been reported.

27. Bribes to Members of Parliament • Congress Party insider Satish Sharma's political aide NachiketaKapur told a US diplomat on 16 July 2008 that the party paid INR 100 million (about $2.5 million) each to four Members of Parliament in order to help the party narrowly survive a no-confidence motion.

28. A Project by: • ArunMoras. • Rejo Varghese.