The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw 83 percent jump in its annual income in 2024 ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the latest annual audit report has revealed.
The saffron party received ₹ 4,340 crore iin FY 2023-24 as income from various sources compared to ₹2,360 crore it received in FY 2022-23, the BJP’s annual audit report published by the Election Commission of India on its website.
The details in the audit report as of March 31, 2024. The Lok Sabha election 2024 was held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The results were announced on June 4. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returned to power with Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister for the record third time.
The voluntary contributions also include money from electoral bonds. The party received ₹1,685.6 crore through electoral bonds in 2023-24. This is the highest-ever annual income or receipts from bonds declared by any party and about 43 percent of BJP's total contribution in FY 2023-24. The BJP had received ₹1,294.14 crore contributions as electoral bonds, forming 61 percent of the total contributions, in FY 2022-23.
The Supreme Court had in February 2024 scrapped the electoral bond scheme for political donations holding it ‘unconstitutional.’
Since 2024 was an election year, the BJP’s expenditure on election and general propaganda increased from ₹1,092.15 crore in FY 2022-23 to ₹1,754.06 crore in FY 2023-24, the audit report showed. Of this, ₹591.39 crore was spent on advertisements and publicity.
Among other contributions, ₹236.3 crore from Aajiwan Sahayog Nidhi (BJP's fundraising scheme) and ₹2,042.7 crore from 'other' contributions. Individual donors contributed around ₹240 crore to the BJP, corporates ₹1,890 crore and institutions and welfare bodies ₹101.2 crore.
During the same period, the annual income of the Congress, the main opposition party, also surged. The party saw about 170 per cent jump in its annual income in FY 2023-24 compared to previous fiscal year.
The Congress received ₹1,225 crore income in FY 2023-24 compared to ₹452.4 crore in FY 2022-23, according to the party's annual audit report. The Congress party got ₹828.4 crore in FY 2023-24 as electoral bonds. In FY 2022-23 the party had got ₹171 crore in the form of electoral bonds.
The BJP's income surged by 83%, highlighting the critical financial landscape of Indian politics ahead of the elections. Electoral bonds have become a contentious issue, raising concerns about transparency in political funding.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
