Ahmedabad: A special resolution aimed at bringing the Congress party back to power in Gujarat, which has been under BJP rule since 1995, was adopted during the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session held on Wednesday, a party spokesperson confirmed. Hiren Banker, a Gujarat Congress spokesperson, verified that the resolution was passed during the session on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad.

Congress General Secretary for Communications Jairam Ramesh, speaking at a press conference during the session, noted that this is the first time in the party’s history that a state-specific resolution has been introduced at an AICC session. The resolution, titled “Why Congress is needed in Gujarat,” outlines the party’s strategy for regaining power, with the motto “Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress” (new Gujarat, new Congress).

Ramesh explained that the resolution was brought forward because the Congress party has been out of power in Gujarat for the past 30 years. He highlighted that Congress laid the foundation for Gujarat’s development in the 1960s and 70s, but that the state’s growth has suffered under BJP rule. The resolution will present the party’s approach to addressing the state’s challenges, including economic policies and proposals for students, traders, farmers, workers, the middle class, and industrialists, rather than benefiting only a few corporate friends.

Ramesh clarified that while Congress supports small and medium enterprises, it does not back the corporate interests of a few large companies. He pointed out that many of Gujarat’s largest factories were established during Congress rule and emphasized that the party fostered industrial growth in the state.

Additionally, Ramesh criticized the handling of the steel industry, noting that while Gujarat hosts 80% of the country’s stainless steel units, a third of these factories have shut down due to the lack of restrictions on Chinese imports under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He also drew attention to Gujarat’s underperformance in the social sectors, such as education and healthcare, comparing it to other developed states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Ramesh emphasized that this is the first time in the 140-year history of the Congress party that a state-specific resolution is being discussed at the AICC session. The resolution’s central message is “Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress.”

Despite being the home state of Prime Minister Modi, Gujarat has remained under BJP control since 1995. In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, Congress secured just 17 out of 182 seats, with its strength further diminished to 12 after the resignation of five MLAs.