 "BJP leads political donations with Rs 2,244 cr in FY24, Cong just Rs 288 cr")
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received around Rs 2,244 crore in contributions of Rs 20,000 and above from individuals, trusts, and corporate entities in the financial year 2023-24. This marks a threefold increase compared to Rs 742 crore in 2022-23. In contrast, the Congress received Rs 288.9 crore through similar channels during the period, up from Rs 79.9 crore the previous financial year, according to the contribution reports for 2023-24 published on the Election Commission’s website.
According to the report, the BJP received Rs 723.6 crore from Prudent Electoral Trust, which also donated Rs 156.4 crore to the Congress. Contributions from Prudent accounted for nearly one-third of the BJP’s donations and over half of the Congress’s total receipts during the year. In 2022-23, Prudent’s top donors included Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd, Serum Institute of India, ArcelorMittal Group, and Bharti Airtel.
Electoral bonds omitted
The declared donations exclude funds received via electoral bonds, as political parties are required to report these in their annual audit reports rather than their contribution disclosures. Notably, the Supreme Court invalidated the electoral bond scheme in February 2024. Consequently, direct contributions and funds routed through electoral trusts have emerged as the primary sources of financing for political parties.
Regional parties and electoral bond
Some regional parties voluntarily disclosed their electoral bond receipts in their 2023-24 contribution reports. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) received Rs 495.5 crore, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Rs 121.5 crore, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rs 60 crore. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) declared Rs 11.5 crore in bond receipts alongside other contributions totalling just over Rs 64 lakh, the EC report mentioned.
BJP dominates electoral trust contributions
Also Read
The BJP’s total contributions surged by 212 per cent in 2023-24, aligning with trends seen in pre-election years. For instance, in 2018-19, ahead of the 2019 general elections, the BJP reported Rs 742 crore in donations, while the Congress declared Rs 146.8 crore.
Through the electoral trust route, the BJP received Rs 850 crore, including Rs 723 crore from Prudent, Rs 127 crore from Triumph Electoral Trust, and Rs 17.2 lakh from Einzigartig Electoral Trust. Meanwhile, the Congress received Rs 156 crore through Prudent alone.
Prudent also donated Rs 85 crore to BRS and Rs 62.5 crore to YSR Congress in 2023-24, both of which lost power the same year. Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) secured Rs 33 crore from Prudent, while the DMK received Rs 8 crore from Triumph Electoral Trust and Jayabharath Trust.
Contributions by other national parties
Among other national parties, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) reported Rs 11.1 crore in donations for 2023-24, a decline from Rs 37.1 crore the previous year. Contributions to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) rose to Rs 7.6 crore from Rs 6.1 crore in 2022-23. The National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya declared Rs 14.8 lakh in contributions, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) once again reported no donations exceeding Rs 20,000, the report said.
Regional parties’ declared contributions
The TDP disclosed over Rs 100 crore in contributions for 2023-24, while the Samajwadi Party reported Rs 46.7 lakh, a decrease from Rs 33 crore the previous year. In contrast, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) declared nil contributions for the same financial year.