Ahmedabad The Congress Party, the main Opposition party in parliament, held two days of deliberations at the 84th All-India Congress Committee (AICC) Session in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, which ended on Wednesday.
More than 3,000 delegates from across the country – including National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, state presidents and other members – attended the AICC session.
They deliberated upon the future political challenges before the party and strategies for the upcoming elections.
Led by party president Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the leadership attacked the ruling party BJP and RSS.
Gandhi said the Waqf (Amendment) Act is “anti-Constitution” and an attack on the freedom of religion, as he warned that the BJP-RSS will soon go after the rights of other minorities such as Christians and Sikhs.
Gandhi also said that an “economic storm” is approaching and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of succumbing to pressure from US President Donald Trump on the imposition of tariffs.
The other charges against BJP included alleged election fraud, party's ‘divide’ ideology and "threat to Constitution.”
In its resolution, Congress drew a sharp line between its idea of nationalism and that of the BJP-RSS, saying its nationalism unites people, while the “pseudo-nationalism” of BJP is fueled by hate and prejudice.
Reasserting its commitment to secularism, Congress said its vision draws from India’s age-old inclusive traditions — unlike the BJP, which it accused of trying to fracture the nation’s soul for short-term political gain and the "lust for power.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced important changes in the party’s organization structure, stating that district presidents will be made the foundation of the party organization.
Kharge, addressing party workers, had a strong message: “Those who do not help in party work, need to rest and those who do not fulfil their responsibilities must retire ... “
Shashi Tharoor, however, decided to outline an alternative vision for the party: “We must be a party of the future, not just of the past. A party with a positive vision, not only negativity. A party that offers solutions, not just slogans,” Tharoor said at the AICC session.
Tharoor said the message was clear: "Congress is back in the fight, ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow and build a better, inclusive India for all."
“We need to retain and restore the votes we have won before but we have failed to win in the last three elections and that is where this resolution leads us. It is a resolution in which we express constructive criticism and not mere unrelenting negativity,” he said.
(Courtesy: Agencies)
