What's the difference in bank balance between BJP and Congress? EC data reveals

The BJP and Congress submitted annual audit reports before the Election Commission.

Published on: Jan 28, 2025, 18:22:43 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) owns a whopping cash and bank balance of ₹7,113.80 crore against the Congress's ₹857.15 crore as of March 31, 2024, PTI quoted Election Commission as saying.

The saffron party spent ₹1,754.06 crore during 2023-24 when Lok Sabha polls were announced, a 60 per cent rise than ₹1,092 crore spent in 2022-23.

On the other hand, the Congress spent ₹619.67 crore during 2023-24, against ₹192.56 crore in 2022-23. The Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 16, 2024, EC data revealed.

BJP supporters at a rally in New Delhi on Thursday. (Sanchit Khanna/ HT Photo) (Hindustan Times)

In the annual audit reports submitted to the EC, the BJP said it has received voluntary contributions through the now-banned electoral bonds of ₹1,685.69 crore during 2023-24, against ₹1294.15 crore in the previous year.

ALSO READ: BJP saw 87% surge in donations ahead of 2024 elections. What about Congress?

The ruling party also received other contributions to the tune of ₹2,042.75 crore during the year, against ₹648.42 crore in the previous year 2022-23.

In its audit report to the EC, the Congress showed having received total contributions of ₹1,225.11 crore during 2023-24, including ₹1129.67 crore through grants, donations and contributions.

This also includes ₹828.36 crore received through electoral bonds during the year ended March 31, 2024, which have now been banned by the Supreme Court.

BJP spent ₹591 crore in ads, ₹434.84 crore in electronic media

During the year, the BJP spent ₹591 crore in advertisements, including ₹434.84 crore in electronic media and ₹115.62 crore in printed material.

The ruling party also spent ₹174 crore during 2023-24 on aircraft/helicopters, against ₹78.23 crore in 2022-23 and gave financial assistance of ₹191.06 crore to its candidates during the year in question, against ₹75.05 crore in the previous year.

The BJP spent ₹84.32 crore in meeting expenses during 2024 and ₹75.14 crore in organising morchas, rallies, andolan and call centre expenses during 2023-24.

The Congress, on the other hand, spent as much as ₹207.94 crore on the electronic media and ₹43.73 crore on printed material during 2023-24, the EC data revealed.

The opposition party also spent ₹62.65 crore on aircraft/helicopters during 2023-24 and gave financial aid of ₹238.55 crore to its candidates. It also spent ₹28.03 crore on publicity expenses and ₹79.78 crore on social media expenses during the year ended March 31, 2024.

The party also stated in its audit report that it spent ₹49.63 crore on the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2, led by former party chief Rahul Gandhi during 2023-24, against ₹71.84 crore spent on Bharat Jodo Yatra undertaken by him from Kanyakumari to Kashmir during 2022-23.

(With PTI inputs)

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