Indian National Congress

The Indian National Congress (INC) entered the 1950s as the dominant force in Indian politics, led by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, whose tenure (1950–1964) shaped India’s parliamentary institutions, economic planning framework, and non-aligned foreign policy. After Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri served briefly (1964–1966), followed by Indira Gandhi, whose leadership (1966–1977, 1980–1984) included the Green Revolution, the 1971 Bangladesh conflict, and the 1975–77 Emergency. Following Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Rajiv Gandhi led the party (1984–1991), overseeing early economic and technological reforms. After his death, the INC saw varied leadership and shifting electoral fortunes, with P. V. Narasimha Rao introducing major economic liberalisation (1991–1996), marking a structural transformation in India’s economy. From 1998, organisational control stabilised under Sonia Gandhi, during which the party formed the United Progressive Alliance and governed through Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2004–2014), implementing large-scale welfare, economic, and rights-based legislation. After significant electoral setbacks post-2014, leadership alternated between Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Since 2022, the INC has been headed by Mallikarjun Kharge, focusing on organisational restructuring, alliance coordination, and electoral recovery strategies in a competitive national environment.