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The day when Shri Sharad Pawar and Shri Tariq Anwar took courage in the Working Committee of the Congress(I) questioning the dynastic and authoritarian style of functioning of the party organisation and the immature handling of the political situation created by the withdrawal of support of BJP Govt. by Jayalalitha was a turning moment in the political history of India. Little did the self-seeking leaders of Congress(I) at that time think that the mass base of the Congress(I) will be eroded , so soon and at such great speed as was seen thereafter. Thousands of Congress workers who were feeling the burden of the yoke of dynastic authoritarianism and the suffocation caused by the lack of internal democracy took this opportunity to throw that yoke away and rally round Pawarji and his colleagues to build up a nationalist democratic and progressive political organisation which will offer a viable national alternative to both communal fascist BJP and the dynastic authoritarian Congress(I).

Formation of the Party : 25th May 1999 is the Red Letter Day for the country. It was on that day Nationalist leaders Shri Sharad Pawar, Shri Tariq Anwar and hundreds of their political supporters assembled at No.6, Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Road, New Delhi and took the historic decision to form a new Political Party under the name 'Nationalist Congress Party'. Shri Sharad Pawar was elected President and Shri Tariq Anwar, General Secretary of that party.

The issue raised by Shri Sharad Pawar and Shri Tariq Anwar that no person of foreign origin shall adorn the highest seats of power like the President of India, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Chief of Army or Election Commission of our country, though turned down by the coteries that managed the Congress (I) soon it became evidently clear that they only echoed the thinking of the people, whose ancestors with throbbing spirit of nationalism and craze for democracy and equality had sacrificed even their lives in their fight against slavery, political, social and economic. Hundreds of leaders and thousands of workers of Congress all over the country came forward to strengthen the hands of the national leaders and to take up the party organisation work.

The founding principles of the Party as pronounced by the Party, were

(1) Strengthening the forces of nationalism with an emphasis on the egalitarian and secular ethos of the Indian Republic and combating fundamentalism and sectarianism.
(2) Maintaining the unity and integrity of India by strengthening federalism and decentralization of power up to the village level.
(3) Promoting economic growth through competition, self-reliance, individual initiative and enterprises with emphasis on equality and social justice.
(4) Rule of law and constitutional order based on Parliamentary and participatory democracy.
(5) Empowerment of weaker sections, the schedule castes and tribes, OBCs, the disabled and the women.
(6) Strengthening the forces of peace within the country attempting to secure universal non-discriminatory disarmament, and
(7) Institutionalized and democratic functioning of the party.

All these made the party dearer not only to the common man but also to the intellectuals, professionals, youths and the weaker sections of the society.

On June 6, 1999, the office bearers of the party was announced consisting of the following persons:

1. Shri Sharad Pawar - President
2. Shri Tariq Anwar - General Secretary
3. Shri Devendra Nath Dwivedi - General Secretary
4. Shri Datta Meghe - Treasurer

Thereafter, Shri S. R. Kohli, a very senior political and social worker and journalist, who was Political Advisor to Late H.N. Bahuguna, former Chief Minister of UP and very important figure of Congress, was appointed honorary Permanent Secretary.

The Indian Congress (Socialist) at their Plenary Session held on 6th June 1999 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi under the Presidentship of Shri Sarat Chandra Sinha, former Chief Minister of Assam, unanimously adopted a resolution to amalgamate that party with the Nationalist Congress Party upon which Shri Sharad Pawar and Shri Tariq Anwar attended their session land welcomed them into the Nationalist Congress Party.

June 10, 1999 Foundation Day : The official launching of the party was declared at the foundation convention of the party held at Mumbai on 10th June 1999 in the presence of tens of thousands of party workers at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai and announced at the public meeting where more than 5 lacs of people assembled at Shivaji Park, Mumbai.

Amalgamation : The working committee of the party in a resolution passed at its meeting held on 26th June 1999 in New Delhi, authorised the President Shri Sharad Pawar to take all necessary measures and to complete all formalities of amalgamation of Indian Congress (Socialist) with Nationalist Congress Party.

Registration of the Party : The Nationalist Congress Party became a registered political party when the Election Commission of India accorded registration to the party as a political party on 5th June 1999 under section 29A of the Representation of Peoples' Act.

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