18th Party Congress: A Defining Moment in India's Political Shift

The 18th Party Congress was held in Delhi from April 6 to 11, 2005, during a period when American imperialism, under the pretext of waging a "global war on terror," was aggressively pushing its hegemonic ambitions – including the ongoing war in Iraq and other expansionist maneuvers.
Prakash Karat presented the Political Resolution. The report noted that the defeat of the BJP-led NDA in the 2004 elections and the emergence of the Congress-led UPA with a decisive mandate marked a significant shift in national politics during this period. The resolution affirmed that history had vindicated the 17th Party Congress's assessment – which characterized the Vajpayee government as "the most reactionary regime in independent India's history."
The Political Organisational Report was structured into four sections. The first outlined the implementation of the tactical line set by the 17th Party Congress, which prioritized defeating the BJP-led government and advancing a secular democratic alternative. The second addressed policy matters, including globalization, the public sector, and the CPI(M)-led governments’ approach to foreign loans. The third focused on organizational affairs, while the final section discussed the mass front strategy.
Of the 85-member committee, 84 members were elected. Prakash Karat was elected as General Secretary, and the Polit Bureau comprised 17 members.