The congress began as a party dominated by the English speaking upper class people and urban elite. Its social base widened after the civil disobedience movement. It brought various diverse groups together like the presents, dwellers, workers, and middle class. Gradually its leadership expanded beyond upper class with rural people. All these incorporated different ideologies that were brought together.

Ideologically, the Congress took root and came to political power not as a party but as a movement for independence and reform. All types of people with diverse Interests became the members of the Congress party like the conservative, pacifist, radical, extremist and moderates and the rights and the left with all other shades of the centre.

Congress became a platform for numerous groups, interests and even political parties to take part in the national movement.

Ideological currents present within the Congress:

In pre-independence days, many organisations and parties with their own constitutions and organisational structures were allowed to exist within the Congress.

Some of these like “Congress Socialist Party “later separated from the Congress and became on opposition party.