Indian National Congress: Top 10 facts

1. The Indian National Congress was conceptualized in December 1884 during a private meeting presided over by Allan Octavian Hume after a Theosophical convention in Madras. Initially, the party aimed to increase the participation of educated Indians in the government and provide a platform for political dialogue between educated Indians and the British Raj.

2. The first Congress meeting was planned in Poona but had to be moved to Bombay due to a cholera outbreak. Approval from Viceroy Lord Duffrin was obtained to hold the meeting.

3. Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, also known as Umesh Chandra Banerjee, became the first president of the Congress, elected during the inaugural meeting that included 72 other delegates.

4. Congress gained significant public support after Lord Curzon's declaration of the Partition of Bengal in 1905, with leaders like Surendranath Banerjee and Sir Henry Cotton playing a crucial role in the Swadeshi movement.

5. Mahatma Gandhi, upon his return from South Africa in 1914, was elected as the Congress president in 1921, becoming the spiritual leader and icon of the party.

6. The Congress played a pivotal role in the Indian freedom movement, leading to the ousting of imperial colonizers with over 15 million members and 70 million participants.

7. Post-independence, the Congress party continued to dominate Indian politics, winning six out of 15 general elections and leading the ruling coalition four times.

8. The Congress party is the oldest ruling party in free India, having led the central government for 49 years.

9. Seven Indian Prime Ministers have been elected from the Congress party, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Manmohan Singh.

10. Sonia Gandhi holds the record for being the longest-serving president of the party, having joined as a primary member in 1997 and elected president in 1998. Rahul Gandhi is the current president of the Indian National Congress.