 Along with Allan Octavian Hume he was a founder of the Indian National Congress and served as its president in 1889 and 1910.He worked along with influential Congress leaders in Bombay and in 1890 he chaired the British committee of the Indian National Congress, helped publish the journal India and attempted to support the movement through parliamentary action in Britain.He developed a close working relationship with G. K. Gokhale of the Congress.