The All India Congress Committee (AICC) wrapped up its two-day session on Wednesday in Ahmedabad, marking the party’s first national gathering in Gujarat in 64 years.
New Delhi:The All India Congress Committee (AICC) wrapped up its two-day session on Wednesday in Ahmedabad, marking the party’s first national gathering in Gujarat in 64 years. Held on the banks of the Sabarmati River under the theme “Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh” (Path of Justice: Resolve, Dedication, and Struggle), the session saw the participation of over 1,700 delegates, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi.
During the session, the Congress adopted two major resolutions: “Nyay Path” (National Resolution) – critiques the BJP’s model of nationalism, labelling it “pseudo-nationalism” for allegedly eroding India’s diversity. The resolution states that true nationalism lies in safeguarding territorial integrity and ensuring social, political, and economic justice for marginalised communities. A Gujarat-specific resolution titled “Why Congress is needed in Gujarat,” was also passed. This is the first time the party introduced a state-specific resolution at an AICC session. According to Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary (communications), the proposal — built around the motto “Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress” (New Gujarat, New Congress) — aims to strengthen district Congress committees and reshape the party’s strategies in a state where the BJP has ruled for three decades.
“Gujarat was once propelled by development initiatives laid during Congress rule in the 1960s and 70s,” Ramesh said, adding that BJP governance has hampered progress in the state. The party pledged to rejuvenate its grassroots machinery to re-establish its influence and counter decades of BJP dominance.
In his presidential address, Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of weakening democratic institutions and fostering economic monopolies by handing public assets to private entities. “If this continues, Modi ji will sell off the entire country and walk away,” Kharge warned. He urged party cadres to “either take responsibility or retire,” stressing the need for organisational reforms and revitalisation. Kharge likened the current struggle to India’s pre-independence fight, stating, “We are again fighting for India’s independence” — though this time, he said, the perpetrators of injustice and inequality are “our own government.”
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, pushed for a nationwide caste census, describing it as a crucial tool for social justice. “We will break the wall of 50 per cent reservation. What Telangana has done, we are going to do across the country,” Gandhi said, referencing a recent caste survey in Telangana. He accused the BJP and the RSS of hiding the true population shares of marginalised groups to prevent them from securing their fair share in national resources.
Gandhi also took aim at Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy, claiming the PM had been pressured by former US President Donald Trump into accepting higher tariffs. “To divert attention from this, they ran a drama in Parliament for two days,” Gandhi alleged, questioning why the prime minister remained silent about the issue.
In its “Nyay Path” resolution, the Congress insisted that true nationalism is rooted in India’s pluralistic and liberal ethos. It promised to defend federal structures, oppose initiatives like “One Nation, One Election,” and restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The party also vowed to preserve an independent education system and ensure fair delimitation processes.
The session ended with a renewed call for unity and grassroots mobilisation. Congress leaders reiterated that they will continue working alongside allies in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, urging “constructive cooperation and collective efforts.”
