In a financial year crowded with national and Assembly contests, audited accounts filed with the Election Commission lay out how India’s political parties mobilised money.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dominated both income and expenditure while other parties reported sharply varied fortunes.
According to media reports, the BJP’s official audit report for 2024–2025 records a substantial jump in election and general propaganda expenditure to Rs 3,335.36 crore in the year when the 18th Lok Sabha and eight Assembly elections were held.
This was nearly two-and-a-half times the Rs 1,352.92 crore spent in 2019–2020, which covered the previous Lok Sabha and seven Assembly elections. The party’s total expenditure over the two years leading up to the 2024 general elections exceeded Rs 5,089 crore.
Further, the audit report submitted to the Election Commission reveals election-related expenses formed 88 percent of the BJP’s total expenditure of Rs 3,774.58 crore in 2024–2025.
Of the spending under “election/general propaganda,” advertisements and publicity constituted the largest share at Rs 2,257.05 crore. Separately disclosed figures showed that Rs 897.42 crore of the election expenditure went specifically towards advertisements.
Travel remained a major cost. The party reported spending Rs 583.08 crore on aircraft and helicopters for leaders, while Rs 312.90 crore was provided as financial assistance to candidates. Even as campaigning moved online, the campaign trail clearly extended well above ground level.
Beyond electioneering, the BJP reportedly spent Rs 74.34 crore on employees, including Rs 69.07 crore as salaries and Rs 5.27 crore on staff welfare schemes, with the salary bill marginally lower than the Rs 69.11 crore recorded in 2023–24. During 2024–25, the party bought newspapers worth Rs 50.29 lakh and sold used newspapers for Rs 2.26 lakh.
The audit further showed that the BJP’s income for 2024–2025 rose to Rs 6,769.14 crore from Rs 4,340.47 crore in the previous year. Voluntary contributions accounted for Rs 6,124.85 crore of this income, with the remainder coming from fees, subscriptions and bank interest.
Donations increased by 54 percent compared to the previous year, despite the Supreme Court’s decision to scrap the Electoral Bond Scheme, with electoral trusts contributing 61 percent of total donations. The party ended the financial year with a closing balance of Rs 12,164.14 crore, including Rs 9,996.12 crore in cash and cash equivalents. High expenditure, it appeared, did little to dent the final surplus.
In comparison, the Congress reported an income of Rs 918.28 crore in 2024–25, while its total expenditure stood at Rs 1,111.94 crore.
Audit reports of other parties reflected diverging financial trajectories.
Several regional and smaller parties reported sharp shifts in their finances during 2024–25, as per audit filings with the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress recorded a steep fall in donations. It dropped from Rs 646.39 crore to Rs 184.08 crore. The party’s total expenditure stood at Rs 227.59 crore. Rs 137.58 crore was reportedly spent on elections.
The YSR Congress also saw donations decline, from Rs 184.11 crore to Rs 140.05 crore. Its election expenditure was higher at Rs 299.92 crore, including Rs 2.14 crore spent on star campaigners.
The Telugu Desam Party reported a sharp drop in donations, falling to Rs 85.20 crore from Rs 274.65 crore. The Biju Janata Dal’s donations declined as well, to Rs 60 crore from Rs 245.5 crore.
In contrast, the CPI(ML)L registered a rise in donations, which increased from Rs 94.63 lakh to Rs 2.98 crore. Celebrated writer Arundhati Roy, who donated Rs one lakh, was among its contributors. The party spent Rs 1.69 crore on elections in 2024–25.
The BJD’s election expenditure during the year amounted to Rs 270.66 crore. This included Rs 6.02 crore on pre-poll surveys and Rs 2.25 crore on post-poll surveys.
JD(U)’s donations rose to Rs 18.69 crore from Rs 4.35 crore. The Samajwadi Party saw donations increase from Rs 48.22 lakh to Rs 93.47 lakh.
Under Election Commission rules, all political parties must submit annual audited accounts and contribution reports detailing donations above Rs 20,000. The numbers are published on the Commission’s website.
Also Read: Corporate Donations Via Trusts Triple To Rs 3,811 Crore; BJP Receives Over 80%: Report https://www.vibesofindia.com/corporate-donations-via-trusts-triple-to-rs-3811-crore-bjp-receives-over-80-report/
