Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Apr 7: In a moment of deep historical resonance, the Indian National Congress is set to host its national convention in Ahmedabad on April 8 and 9 the first such gathering in Gujarat after more than six decades.
The announcement was made on Sunday by Dr Manish Doshi, media convener of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. The convention marks the return of the party’s highest decision-making body, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), to a state with profound ties to India’s freedom movement and Congress history.
The last AICC session in Gujarat was held in Bhavnagar in 1961. The 2025 convention comes as the country prepares to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and 100 years since Mahatma Gandhi assumed the Congress presidency.
“This convention is not just a political gathering, but a tribute to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel,” said Dr Doshi. “It is an emotional homecoming for the Congress party.”
Gujarat has hosted several iconic Congress sessions in the past from Ahmedabad in 1902 and 1921 to the 1938 Haripura session in Surat district, where the historic ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution was passed under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The two-day 86th Indian National Congress session begins on April 8 with a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the historic Sardar Smarak in Shahibaug at 11.00 am. Later, leaders will gather at 5.00 pm for a solemn prayer meeting at Sabarmati Ashram. A cultural programme highlighting Gujarat’s heritage and Congress’ legacy will follow at 7.45 pm at the Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre.
The main convention on April 9 will see participation from over 3,000 delegates nationwide. Top Congress leaders including National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, state presidents and CWC members will be present.
“This event is a matter of pride for Gujarat. It is an opportunity to once again offer a new vision to the nation from the land of Gandhi and Patel,” Dr Doshi added, expressing confidence that the session would rejuvenate the party’s spirit and direction.
With Gujarat long regarded as a BJP stronghold, the Congress’ return for this national-level gathering signals a renewed effort to reclaim lost ground while honoring its ideological roots.