New Delhi, Nov 2026 : The Congress has reported a sharp decline of nearly 75 per cent in political donations during the financial year 2025-26, with contributions exceeding Rs 20,000 falling to Rs 130.7 crore from Rs 517.4 crore in the previous financial year. The amount represents the party's lowest declared contribution level in the past three years, according to its contribution report submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The figures indicate a substantial reduction of Rs 386.7 crore in donations received by the principal opposition party in a single year, raising questions about political funding patterns, institutional contributions and the financial resources available to national parties ahead of major electoral contests.
According to the contribution report for FY 2025-26, the Congress received Rs 130.7 crore through donations exceeding Rs 20,000. This compares with Rs 517.4 crore declared for FY 2024-25, marking a decline of approximately 74.7 per cent.
The reduction is significant not only in comparison with the previous financial year but also against the party's contribution figures for FY 2023-24. The latest declared donations are approximately 53 per cent lower than the amount received during that period.
Political donations constitute an important source of funding for parties, helping them meet organisational expenses, conduct election campaigns, maintain state-level units and undertake political outreach activities.
Prudent Electoral Trust contribution falls sharply
One of the most significant developments in the latest contribution report is the sharp reduction in donations received from the Prudent Electoral Trust, one of the major institutional contributors to political parties.
During FY 2024-25, the trust contributed Rs 216 crore to the Congress. However, its contribution declined to Rs 25 crore in FY 2025-26.
The reduction in funding from the trust was particularly significant because it had accounted for approximately 41.8 per cent of the Congress's total declared contributions in the previous financial year. Its share fell to around 19 per cent in FY 2025-26.
The decline in contributions from a major institutional donor appears to have been an important factor behind the overall reduction in the party's declared donations.
The figures also highlight the extent to which large institutional contributions can influence the annual funding position of political parties.
Bihar elections and preparations for Assembly polls
The decline in Congress donations comes at a time when the party was involved in several important electoral and political activities.
The financial year 2025-26 witnessed the Bihar Assembly elections, while preparations were also underway for Assembly elections scheduled in April 2026 in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.
Despite these electoral engagements, the party's declared contributions were substantially lower than in the preceding financial year.
In FY 2024-25, Congress donations had increased by approximately 84 per cent compared with the previous financial year. The increase was attributed to the fundraising environment surrounding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when political parties typically witnessed heightened contributions to support campaign-related activities.
However, the latest figures indicate that the decline is not merely a correction following the election-related increase in the previous year. Even compared with FY 2023-24, the Congress recorded a reduction of approximately 53 per cent in declared contributions exceeding Rs 20,000.
Who were the major donors to Congress?
Apart from the Prudent Electoral Trust, several companies and individuals featured among the major contributors to the Congress during FY 2025-26.
According to the contribution report, Star Cement Limited donated Rs 5 crore to the party, while Sajjan Bhajanka contributed Rs 4 crore.
Afnan Constructions made a contribution of Rs 3 crore, while Prem Kumar Bhajanka donated Rs 2 crore.
Ipsam Proadvisers and SMS Builders each contributed Rs 1 crore.
The distribution of donations also indicates that a relatively small number of large contributors accounted for a substantial proportion of the party's declared funding.
The report recorded only nine individual contributions of Rs 1 crore or more, which together amounted to Rs 43 crore. These contributions represented approximately one-third of the total declared donations received by the Congress during the financial year.
At the same time, smaller contributions continued to constitute an important part of the party's fundraising.
More than 1,300 small contributions recorded
The contribution report listed 1,321 donations of Rs 5 lakh or less, amounting to a combined Rs 37.2 crore.
These smaller contributions accounted for approximately 28.5 per cent of the party's total declared donations.
Overall, the report contained 1,735 contribution entries, with the median contribution standing at Rs 3 lakh.
The figures suggest that although the Congress received contributions from a large number of small and medium-sized donors, a significant share of its declared funding continued to come from a limited number of major contributors.
The distribution of donations provides an insight into the composition of political funding and the relative importance of institutional donors, corporate contributions and individual supporters.
Donation figures do not represent Congress's total income
It is important to note that the Rs 130.7 crore figure represents only contributions exceeding Rs 20,000 declared in the party's FY 2025-26 contribution report. It should not be interpreted as the Congress's total income or its entire financial resources for the year.
Political parties receive funds through several channels, including smaller contributions, fundraising initiatives and other permitted sources of income.
For instance, during FY 2024-25, the Congress reportedly received more than Rs 350 crore through the issuance and sale of donation coupons.
The party's complete financial position for FY 2025-26 will become clearer once its audited annual accounts are available. These accounts are expected to provide a broader picture of its overall income, expenditure, fundraising activities and other financial transactions.
The contribution report therefore offers only one part of the larger financial picture.
Political funding under scrutiny
The latest figures have once again brought the issue of political party funding into focus, particularly the role of electoral trusts and large institutional donors in financing national political organisations.
The nearly 75 per cent decline in the Congress's declared contributions exceeding Rs 20,000 represents a considerable year-on-year change. However, the figures alone do not establish the reasons behind the reduction or indicate the party's overall financial capacity.
The forthcoming audited accounts will be important in understanding whether the decline in declared contributions was accompanied by changes in other fundraising sources or overall expenditure.
For now, the Election Commission-submitted contribution report establishes that the Congress received Rs 130.7 crore in donations above the prescribed reporting threshold during FY 2025-26, compared with Rs 517.4 crore in the previous financial year.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
