Congress to get new address in Delhi on Jan 15; Hi-tech office to meet party's evolving needs, says K C Venugopal

Making the announcement, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said, 'it is time to move ahead with the times and embrace the new'.

New Delhi: Congress will get a new address in New Delhi – ‘Indira Gandhi Bhavan’ at 9A, Kotla Road – on January 15 as the party puts a curtain to its 24, Akbar Road headquarters from where it operated for the past 47 years.

The four floors of the new headquarters will be a “walk through” of Congress’ history from its first president WC Banerjee to the present Mallikarjun Kharge, depicting the party’s role in freedom struggle, achievements of its governments and party programmes like Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatras, a senior leader told DH.

Party’s Parliamentary Party Chairperson and former party chief Sonia Gandhi will unveil the new building in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

Making the announcement through a post on ‘X’, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said, “it is time to move ahead with the times and embrace the new”.

The Indira Gandhi Bhawan is designed to “meet the evolving needs” of the party and its leaders, featuring modern facilities to support administrative, organisational, and strategic activities. This iconic building reflects the Congress’ forward-looking vision while paying homage to its extraordinary past, which has shaped the political and social fabric of India, he said.

Sources said Congress will not vacate 24, Akbar Road and it will continue to house some of its cells. They said the BJP has not vacated its old headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road, even after shifting to Deendayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg.

While the land allotted for the new headquarters is on DDU Marg, Congress was vary of having an address with an RSS ideologue’s name and chose to have its entrance on Kotla Road, providing it with an alternative address.

After her election loss following the lifting of Emergency, Indira along with her supporters of the break-away faction of Congress had made 24, Akbar Road the party headquarters in January 1978. It was then allocated to Congress MP G Venkataswamy.

Much before Congress made 24, Akbar Road its headquarters, it was home for Myanmar's future leader Aung San Suu Kyi, then around 15 years, in the 1960s. Her mother was then appointed Myanmar’s ambassador to India. It also played host to Sir Reginald Maxwell, who was a member (Home) in Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's executive council.

Before 1978, the Congress had its headquarters on 7, Jantar Mantar Road and 5, Rajendra Prasad Road. The split in 1969 led to losing the office in Jantar Mantar Road and had moved to 5, Rajendra Prasad Road.

Sources said the construction of the new headquarters was delayed by several years owing to "paucity of funds". They also said offices of administration, accounts and others will shift initially. Offices of the Mahila Congress, Youth Congress and the NSU(I) and the party’s various departments and cells are also likely to shift to the new premises