NEW DELHI, NOV 9: The Congress party has reported a nearly 75 per cent decline in donations exceeding Rs 20,000 during the financial year 2025-26, with contributions falling to Rs 130.69 crore from Rs 517.39 crore in the previous year, according to its latest report filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
This marks the party’s steepest annual decline in donations in the past decade. The previous major drop was recorded in 2015-16, when contributions declined by 86 per cent.
A significant factor behind the latest fall is the sharp reduction in contributions from the Prudent Electoral Trust, whose donations to the Congress fell from Rs 216.34 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 25 crore in 2025-26, registering a decline of around 88 per cent.
The trust is the only electoral trust listed in the Congress donation report for the year.
Among other major contributors, Star Cement donated Rs 5 crore, while Sajjan Bhajanka contributed Rs 4 crore and Prem Kumar Bhajanka Rs 2 crore.
The figures also underline the disparity in donations received by the country’s two major political parties. The BJP received Rs 6,074.02 crore in donations above Rs 20,000 during 2024-25, nearly 12 times the amount reported by the Congress for the same period.
The BJP’s donation figures for 2025-26 have not yet been made public. However, over the past 12 years, the party has consistently reported higher donations than the Congress.
The latest Congress report covers only contributions exceeding Rs 20,000 and does not represent the party’s total income. Smaller donations, membership fees and coupon collections are not included in these figures.
The party’s complete income details will become available through its annual audited accounts.
