New Delhi: As per the recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a Delhi-based think tank, BJP is the richest party among the seven national political parties in India with its declared income of over Rs. 1,000 crore.
The party was able to manage to have an income of Rs. 1,034 crore during 2016-17 which can be compared as two-thirds of the total earnings of the national seven parties. The Congress is very far away from the BJP figures, despite being the second in line with the income of Rs. 225.36 crore, according to the report.
All the parties submitted their earnings and expenses very late despite being given a due date for the submission of annual audited accounts as October 30, 2017. The BJP crossed the deadline by 99 days and the Congress by 139 days.
“The most surprising thing is that they are so late in giving this information but they face no consequences at all,” said Jagdeep Chokkar, one of the founding members of ADR.
The year 2016-17 seems to be very good for the BJP party as it has witnessed its overall earnings over 81 per cent compared to the year before. As per the declaration made by the political parties, the sources of income are contributions and donations.
There is no surprise over the spending pattern too with the top three expenditures being elections, campaigns and administrative reasons. But as it seems, the BJP’s management far outweighs that of the Congress.
The Congress spent more than what it earned with figures standing at Rs. 321 crore which is close to Rs. 100 crore more. The BJP party declared an expenditure of Rs. 710.05 during the period.
As per the data compiled by the seven parties from income-tax returns, the total expenses by the BJP, Congress, CPI, CPM, BSP, NCP and Trinamool was Rs 1,228.26 crore.
CPI was at the bottom of the pile among the seven parties with earnings declared as Rs. 2 Crore. The other Left party CPM was much better off at an annual income of Rs. 100 crore, the report said.
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