Sonia Gandhi’s Iftar Parties Are More About Politics Than Food

A brief history of Iftar parties hosted by the Congress President tells us why we have to take them seriously.

July 2014: Sonia Gandhi hosted an Iftar party less than two months after the drubbing in the General Election. (Photo: AP)

The Congress practically invented the politics of Iftar. Ex-National Bureau Chief of The Hindu, KK Katyal, in 2001 traced the history of how the Iftar party was institutionalised in the 70s.

In early ‘70s, IK Gujral, then in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet, invited Shafi Qureshi, Minister of State for Railways, to a meal during Ramzan. Qureshi excused himself, saying he was fasting. So Gujral suggested he break the fast at his house and Qureshi agreed. Next day, Gujral mentioned it to Indira Gandhi. The idea appealed to her and, at the first occasion soon after, she organised a major Iftar, with a large number of invitees, in particular Muslims.

However, it was the country’s first non-Congress government led by Morarji Desai that made the Iftar an annual official affair in 1978.

Five decades later, the tradition continues, except, today, an Iftar party can be quite an accurate indicator of where a political party stands with potential and existing allies.

May 2001: President of main opposition Congress Party and Trinamool Congress Chief had entered into a poll pact to jointly fight the 24-year old Communist government in West Bengal. (Photo: Reuters)

In December 2001, Sonia Gandhi hosted several “high voltage” guests at an Iftar party at the party headquarters on Akbar Road. The presence of disgruntled NDA ministers – Ram Vilas Paswan and Sharad Yadav created a sensation and triggered speculation of a massive political re-alignment at the Central level.

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah who was also part of the NDA then, was present, and told reporters at the event not to make a big deal about it.

March 2002: Sonia Gandhi consoles a victim of the Gujarat riots. The Congress was piling pressure on BJP to dismiss ministers over the alleged mishandling of the communal clashes. (Photo: Reuters)

In 2002,  Sonia decided not to host an Iftar party on account of the “agony and suffering of the people of several drought-affected States and thousands in Gujarat whose hardships are unrelieved”. He reference was to the Gujarat riots. The decision was seen as a mature, pragmatic political move, considering she had been leading the party for only five years then.

October 2005: UPA Chief, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yada and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawer wave to a crowd during a state election rally in Patna. (Photo: Reuters)

In November 2003, five crucial states including Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were going to polls. Sonia Gandhi, according to a report in The Hindu, exuded confidence as she hosted the first politically significant Iftar of the Ramzan season. The Congress Chief said that leaders of all parties had been invited, but not all showed up. 


Then UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his predecessor Mayawati informed the Congress Chief of their inability to attend because of the by-elections in the state. SP leader Amar Singh filled in for Mulayam, while Rashid Alvi, who was with the BSP then, represented his party boss Mayawati.

The Hindu reports Marxist leaders were away in Kolkata for a party meeting, but a few opposition leaders from the LJP and RLD were in attendance.

The presence of National Conference leaders – Farooq and Omar Abdullah was again, considered “significant” in 2003. They were also seen mingling with another invitee, the Pakistan High Commissioner, Aziz Ahmed Khan.

December 2003: Sonia Gandhi shakes hands with a supporter after casting her vote for the Delhi state assembly elections. Polling had begun in four Hindi heartland states and were expected to set the scene for the General Election in 2004. (Photo: Reuters)

What can be considered significant today, however, is that Sonia Gandhi is reported to have mingled with not just the guests, but with the media as well. Several journalists who cover the Congress complain this does not happen anymore.

A few months before the 2004 General Election, the mood within the Congress was described as “upbeat”.

September 2008: Sonia Gandhi attends an Iftar party in her constituency Rae Bareilly when at least 100 people died as a result of floods in Uttar Pradesh (Photo: Reuters)

In 2014, the Congress President hosted an Iftar Party at the Hotel Ashoka and the attendance reflected the party’s isolation after the drubbing in the General Election. NCP’s Sharad Pawar, RLD’s Ajit Singh, Left, BSP and Samajwadi Party leaders and Farooq and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference were ALL conspicuous by their absence.

The 2015 Iftar Party comes at a time the Congress party is desperately hoping to claim a leadership role as the principal Opposition in the Parliament. Sonia Gandhi’s challenge would be two-fold :

1. To unite anti-NDA parties
2. To emerge as their leader.

Will she able to achieve that? We could know when the Monsoon Session begins July 21.