BJP declares Rs 10-billion income, Congress report awaited: Poll monitor

Election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms says BJP spent over Rs 7.5 billion in 2017-18

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared a total income of over Rs 10 billion for 2017-18, spending over Rs 7.5 billion in the year. 

The income and expenditure of the Congress party was not known, as nation’s main opposition party was yet to submit its audited reports to the Election Commission.

According to a report by election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released here on Monday, the BJP's total income for 2017-18 stood at Rs 10.27  followed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) at Rs 1 billion. The Mayawati-led BSP declared a total income of Rs 516.94 million in the year.

The BJP's income for the year came down by nearly Rs 70 million as compared to Rs 10.34 billion total income it had declared in 2016-17.

On the expenditure front, the BJP spent Rs 7.58 billion in the year, followed by the CPI-M at Rs 834.82 million and the BSP which spent Rs 147.8 million.

Incidentally, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) declared a total income Rs 81.5 million but spent Rs 88.4 million, an excess of Rs 6.9 million over what it earned during the year.

Trinamool Congress declared a total income of Rs 51.67 million while the Communist Party of India (CPI)'s total income was Rs. 15.5 million. They are both national parties.

The Congress, which in 2016-17 earned Rs 2.25 billion, is yet to submit its copy of Income Tax returns for the year. The due date for submission of annual audited accounts for the parties was October 30, 2018.