Editorial

We have passed through an eventful period. This issue is exclusively devoted to the coverage of the 85th Plenary Session of the Indian National Congress presided over by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge who had taken over as the Congress President in October 2022. Coming within less than a month after the conclusion of the nearly 4,000 km historic ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ led by former Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi, the Plenary Session, which was held from March 24 to 26, 2023, will, inarguably, go down as an important milestone in our 137 years old history.

All the Resolutions- Political; Economical; International; Youth, Education and Employment; Farmers and Agriculture and Social Justice & Empowerment – have been carried with full texts. What stood out the most were the powerful speeches of Congress President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessors, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi. It was an emotional moment for the delegates present in the packed Pandal of Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Nagar when Smt. Sonia Gandhi delivered her speech. They remembered the grace and distinction with which she served as Congress President for over 22 years, a record unlikely to be surpassed in the near future. Shri Rahul Gandhi’s address, primarily devoted to his experience of meeting people from different sections of society in the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, touched many hearts. It is likely that the Raipur session will go down in the history of INC as one of the most important landmarks like Lahore (1929), Karachi (1931) and Avadi (1955). The substantial increase in the number of CWC members, alongwith reservations for weaker sections and youth, will have a far-reaching effect in strengthening the Party. Despite the setbacks in the recently held Assembly elections in the states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, where money power was shamelessly used by BJP, the Congress has done extremely well in by-elections in Tami Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra. In the last two states, seats were wrested from TMC and BJP after decades. However, the INC would have to take the lead in working out the unity of the Opposition parties and ensure that the non-BJP vote is not divided. That is the only path to the victory of democratic and secular forces in 2024.