Congress Donations Fall 75% to Rs 130.69 Crore in 2025-26

The Congress received Rs 130.69 crore in donations above Rs 20,000 in 2025-26, nearly 75% less than the Rs 517.39 crore it reported the year before, according to the party’s contribution report as read by PTI. The fall is the steepest in a decade; the only sharper drop in the period examined was in 2015-16, when donations fell about 86%.

Prudent Trust Gift Shrinks by 88%

The main reason is the Prudent Electoral Trust, which gave the party Rs 25 crore, down from Rs 216.34 crore in 2024-25, a fall of about 88%. It was the only electoral trust named in the Congress’s latest contribution report. The other large donors listed for 2025-26 were Star Cement (Rs 5 crore), Sajjan Bhajanka (Rs 4 crore) and Prem Kumar Bhajanka (Rs 2 crore).

The figures cover only donations above Rs 20,000 that parties must disclose, and leave out electoral bonds, which were reported separately. Coupon collections alone brought the party Rs 350.12 crore in 2024-25.

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BJP’s Number Still Awaited

The BJP received Rs 6,074.02 crore in 2024-25, nearly 12 times the Congress’s figure for that year. Its 2025-26 contribution report has not been published by the Election Commission, so a like-for-like comparison is not yet possible. In the 12 years PTI examined, the BJP collected more than the Congress every time.

Earlier Congress totals were Rs 281.48 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 79.92 crore in 2022-23. The party’s performance and positions are tracked on the Congress tag page.

Audited Accounts Hold the Full Picture

The Congress has not yet uploaded its audited accounts for 2025-26, and those are needed to judge its overall finances, since donations above Rs 20,000 are only one stream of income. The BJP’s report is the other missing piece. Neither has a date.

Source: Based on reporting by The Tribune (PTI).

Image: PTI file.