BJP got over Rs 2,600 cr donations in 2023-24, Congress Rs 281 cr: EC reports

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rs 2,604.74 crore during 2023-24 while the opposition Congress got Rs 281.38 crore in its kitty, according to contribution reports of the two parties put in public domain by the Election Commission (EC). Reportedly, BJP got about Rs 700 crore last year compared Rs 79.9 crore of Congres in 2022-23.

A significant portion of the contributions to both BJP and Congress came through Prudent Electoral Trust. The BJP received Rs 723.6 crore from this trust, which also donated Rs 156.4 crore to Congress. Notably, Prudent Electoral Trust accounted for about one-third of BJP’s total declared contributions and more than half of Congress’s inflow.

The trust’s major donors in 2022-23 included prominent names like Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd, Serum Institute of India, ArcelorMittal, and Bharti Airtel. However, the list of donors for 2023-24 has yet to be disclosed.

Contributions to regional parties

Regional parties have also declared contributions through electoral bonds and other means in their 2023-24 reports. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) reported receiving Rs 495.5 crore via electoral bonds, while the DMK collected Rs 60 crore and the YSR Congress Rs 121.5 crore through the same route. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) declared Rs 11.5 crore from electoral bonds and additional contributions of just over Rs 64 lakh.

The electoral bond scheme, which was a key funding mechanism for political parties, was invalidated by the Supreme Court in February 2024. As a result, direct contributions and donations via electoral trusts have become the primary sources of funding for political parties.

While electoral bond details are not included in the contribution reports, they will be disclosed in the parties' annual audit reports.

A pre-election surge

The BJP recorded a 212% rise in contributions in 2023-24 compared to the previous year. This surge aligns with the run-up to the 2024 general elections, a period that typically sees increased funding for major parties.

Among other notable contributions, the BJP declared Rs 3 crore in donations from Future Gaming and Hotel Services, owned by Santiago Martin, a name associated with the lottery business. The DMK received Rs 8 crore from Triumph Electoral Trust and Jayabharath Trust during this period.

With the electoral bond scheme no longer in effect, political parties have increasingly relied on direct contributions and electoral trusts for funding.

(With inputs from TOI)