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How did Subhas Chandra Bose become president of the Indian National Congress?
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Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress leaders Mahatma Gandhi (left) and Sarojini Naidu (right) on the Salt March in western India, March 1930.
Subhas Chandra Bose served as president of the Indian National Congress on two occasions:
- 1938: Bose was elected president, during which time he established a national planning committee to promote broad industrialization. This policy conflicted with the economic views of Mahatma Gandhi, who favored self-sufficiency and cottage industries.1
- 1939: Bose secured a second term by defeating Pattabhi Sitaramayya, who was Gandhi’s favored candidate. This victory intensified the ideological divide between Bose’s radical faction and Gandhi’s followers, ultimately leading to Bose’s resignation from the presidency.1
Following his resignation, Bose founded the Forward Bloc to continue his efforts toward independence through more aggressive methods than those advocated by the Congress leadership at the time.1