The congress was divided into two camps-Extremist and Moderates at the Surat session of 1907. The Moderates believed in the constitutional methods of protests like petitions, prayers, meetings,etc. Extremists, on the other hand, believed in agitation, strikes and boycotts to force their demands. Tilak became the leader of extremists group in the Congress. He was very critical of the moderate group of leaders of Indian National Congress and left after the split in 1907.