Indian National Congress (Socialist)

Indian Congress (Socialist) (IC(S)) also known as Congress (S) was a political party in India between 1978 and 1986. The party was formed through a split in the Indian National Congress. Initially the party was known as the Indian National Congress (Urs) and was led by D. Devraj Urs. It broke away from the parent party in 1978 following Indira Gandhi's drubbing in the 1977 General Elections. Urs took with him many legislators from Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa including future Union Ministers and Chief Ministers A.K. Antony, Sharad Pawar, Dev Kant Baruah, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, Sarat Chandra Sinha and K. P. Unnikrishnan.

When Sharad Pawar took over the party presidency in October 1981, the name of the party was changed to Indian Congress (Socialist)

In 1986 Pawar and his party rejoined the Indian National Congress.

One section led by Sarat Chandra Sinha broke away from IC(S) in 1984 and formed a separate party known as Indian Congress (Socialist) - Sarat Chandra Sinha. This faction merged with Sharad Pawar's NCP in 1999.

However, in Kerala, the residual faction of Indian Congress (Socialist) led by Kadannappalli Ramachandran is existing and part of the Left Democratic Front.

In 2007, Democratic Indira Congress (Left) led by M.A. John merged with Indian Congress (Socialist).

See also

• Indian National Congress breakaway parties