Previous Year Question

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was one of the most influential leaders of the Indian National Congress, but he never presided over any session of the Congress.

Lala Lajpat Rai presided over the Special Calcutta Session of September 1920. The Non-Cooperation programme proposed by Mahatma Gandhi was extensively discussed at this session.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale presided over the Banaras Session of 1905. It was held against the background of the Partition of Bengal and the rapidly developing Swadeshi Movement.

Subhas Chandra Bose became President of the Congress at the Haripura Session of 1938 and was re-elected Congress President in 1939. The 1939 session was held at Tripuri.

In contrast, Tilak remained a leading figure of Extremist nationalism within the Congress. He was at the centre of the conflict with the Moderates at the Surat Session of 1907 and later promoted the Home Rule Movement in 1916, but he never became Congress President.

Therefore, among the four leaders given, Bal Gangadhar Tilak never presided over a session of the Indian National Congress.