Congress foundation day: Grand events planned for today; Rahul, Manmohan cut cake

New Delhi, Dec 28: Grand celebrations are being held at the Congress headquarters in the national capital on the occation of 134th Foundation Day of the country's oldest political party.

Several senior Congress leaders have gathered at the party headquarters to celebrate the occation. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh also cut a cake on the occation.

With the grand old party trying to regain power in the Centre, several events are lined up at each Pradesh Congress Committee, and senior leaders are expected to attend the events. Party president Rahul Gandhi is expected to address the leaders and most likely to appeal them to unite all their energy to work extensively for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in 2019.

On #CongressFoundationDay let us celebrate & acknowledge the selfless service & contributions of millions of Congress workers, men & women, who have helped build & sustain the Congress party over the ages. We owe these unsung heroes our gratitude & respect.

I salute them all. pic.twitter.com/nJyHZmcIXd

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 28, 2018

Congress history:

The Indian National Congress was the sole representative of the people of the country during the pre-independence struggle and became the largest vehicle of the Indian National Movement.

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in 1885. Headed by British civil servant Allan Octavian Hume, members of the Theosophical Society - Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, MG Ranade, Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, Dinshaw Wacha, Monomohun Ghose and William Wedderburn established the Indian National Congress. Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the first president of the Congress.

Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru, who was a front-runner in India's struggle for independence, became the first Prime Minister of independent India and held the position for 17 years.

Following his footsteps, even his daughter, Indira Gandhi too became the premier of the nation, who was succeeded by Rajiv Gandhi. But after their death, the Congress could not stand that tall and stated losing the popularity. Citing the fall of the party, Rajiv's wife Sonia Gandhi took charge of the party and Congress came in the centre for 10-long-years (2004-2014), succeeded by Bharatiya Janata Party's Narendra Modi. Now, with the Lok Sabha Elections just months away, party current president - Rahul Gandhi - has taken charge and is working to ensure the success of the party.