List of Presidents of the Indian National Congress

The Indian National Congress (INC) is one of the two major parties in the political system of Republic of India. The President of the Indian National Congress is the elected head of the party responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public, developing and communicating party policy especially on election platforms. The President of the All India Congress Committee, and therefore of the Indian National Congress Party (INC) as a whole, is known as the Congress President.

Since the party was established in 1885, 60 people have served as president. The first, Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee, presided over the first session of the Indian National Congress held at Bombay in 1885 from 28 December to 31 December. The most recently serving president is Rahul Gandhi. The president of INC at the time of India's independence was J. B. Kripalani. Annie Besant was the first woman president of INC whereas, Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman president. There are six members of Nehru–Gandhi family who have been Congress Presidents.

During 1885-1933, the presidency had a term of 1 year only. Traditionally, the post rotated between prominent members of the party, successive terms for the same person being frowned upon. During Jawaharlal Nehru's premiership, he rarely held the Presidency of INC, even though he was always head of the Legislative Party.

Indira Gandhi however, institutionalized the practice of having the same person as the Congress President and the Prime Minister after the first Congress split of 1969. Her son Rajiv Gandhi continued that practice.

Narasimha Rao, too held both the Congress President and the Prime Minister's posts. Sitaram Kesri held the post after INC was voted out. But as the INC never returned to power under his leadership, he didn't hold the two posts together.

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