Ahmedabad: The Indian National Congress is set to hold its national convention in Ahmedabad on April 8th and 9th, 2025, marking a significant return to Gujarat for the party’s top decision-making body after a gap of 64 years. This was announced by Dr. Manish Doshi, Media Convener of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.

Dr. Doshi highlighted the historical significance of choosing Gujarat for this important gathering. He recalled that 100 years ago, Mahatma Gandhi, recognizing the Congress ideology as crucial for India’s independence struggle, became the President of the party. Furthermore, 2025 marks the 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a towering figure in the Congress and independent India.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC), the apex body of the party, will convene in Gujarat for the first time since the 1961 session held in Bhavnagar. The first AICC session took place in 1885. Dr. Doshi emphasized the enduring legacy of the 1938 Haripura session in Gujarat, presided over by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, where the seeds for India’s complete independence were sown with the passage of the ‘Purna Swaraj’ (complete self-rule) resolution.

A crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is scheduled for 11:30 AM on April 8th, 2025, at the historic ‘Sardar Smarak’ in Shahibaug. This will be followed by a prayer meeting at Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram at 5:00 PM, attended by senior Congress leaders and CWC members.  A cultural program will be organized on the night of April 8th at the Riverfront Event Centre, with the participation of all attendees, including the CWC members.

The national convention itself will take place on April 9th on the banks of the Sabarmati River. Over 3000 delegates from across the country are expected to attend this significant event.

Dr. Doshi underscored the special importance of holding the national convention in Gujarat, noting that Sardar Patel served as the first and longest-serving president of the Gujarat Congress. He expressed the enthusiasm among the people regarding what Gujarat will offer to the nation through this convention, stating that the ongoing preparations suggest it will provide a new direction for both Gujarat and the country. Hosting the national convention is a matter of great pride for the Gujarat Congress.

The national convention will be attended by the presence of prominent leaders including the National President of the Congress,  Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Sonia Gandhi, Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, state presidents, and members of the Congress Working Committee. Special invitees will also participate in the 86th Indian National Congress session.

Schedule of Events:

• April 8, 2025, 11:00 AM: Congress Working Committee (CWC) Meeting – Sardar Smarak, Shahibaug
• April 8, 2025, 5:00 PM: Prayer Meeting – Sabarmati Ashram
• April 8, 2025, 7:45 PM: Cultural Program – Riverfront Event Centre, Sabarmati Riverfront
• April 9, 2025, 9:00 AM: National Convention – Banks of Sabarmati River, Ahmedabad

Historical Congress Sessions Held in Gujarat: