The Gujarat Congress has claimed that the state government has unofficially informed them that the Mahatma Gandhi Mandir in Gandhinagar will not be available for the forthcoming All India Congress Committee (AICC) session on 8–9 April. This will be the third AICC session held in Gujarat, following those in 1938 and 1961.
Mahatma Mandir is a convention and exhibition centre, inspired by the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. It is one of the largest convention centres in India.
Rajya Sabha MP and Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil on Monday described the selection of Ahmedabad and Gujarat as the venue for the AICC session as a “proud moment for the state.”
Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in Ahmedabad, he said, “We thank the high command for selecting Ahmedabad and Gujarat as the venue for the AICC session.”
Gohil highlighted the historical significance of past AICC sessions, particularly the 1938 session in Haripura, where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took responsibility for organising the event.
He also referenced the Bardoli Satyagraha led by Sardar Patel and noted that during the Haripura session, Subhash Chandra Bose won the national presidential election of the AICC.
Notably, the last session was held 64 years ago, in 1961, in Bhavnagar. Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was the party’s president at the time.
“Subhash Chandra Bose gave the idea of Purna Swaraj blueprint in the session,” Gohil said, underscoring its role in shaping India’s independence movement.
Gohil told Vibes of India authorities had rejected Congress’s request to hold the AICC session at Mahatma Gandhi Mandir. Despite this, he assured, “We will announce the detailed planning in the coming times.”
The AICC session is scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad on April 8 and 9. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal stated, “The upcoming session will serve not only as a platform for crucial deliberations but also as a reaffirmation of the Congress party’s collective resolve to address the concerns of the common people and present a strong alternative vision for the nation.”
He added that AICC delegates from across the country would gather to discuss the BJP’s policies and their impact on constitutional values.
The session will begin with an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on April 8, followed by the AICC Delegates’ meeting on April 9.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over both meetings, with Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states, national office bearers, senior leaders, and other AICC delegates in attendance.
Venugopal highlighted that this AICC session follows the resolutions adopted at the Belagavi Extended CWC meeting, known as the Nava Satyagraha Baithak, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s presidency at the 1924 Congress session.
Venugopal reiterated that the upcoming AICC session in Ahmedabad would provide an opportunity for the party to reaffirm its commitment to addressing national issues, protecting constitutional values, and shaping an alternative political direction for the country.
Also Read: Congress to Hold AICC Session in Ahmedabad on April 8-9 to Discuss BJP Policies, Future Strategy
