Rahul questions EC on ₹4,300 cr donations to 'anonymous parties' in Gujarat

Gandhi, LoP in the Lok Sabha, shared on X the media report which claimed that in Gujarat, 10 anonymously registered political parties received Rs 4,300 crore in donations from 2019-20 to 2023-24

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cited a media report which claimed that some "anonymous parties" in Gujarat received donations of Rs 4,300 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24, and asked whether the Election Commission will investigate this or ask for an affidavit.

There was no immediate reaction from the Election Commission (EC).

Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared on X the media report which claimed that in Gujarat, 10 anonymously registered political parties received Rs 4,300 crore in donations from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

During this period, across three elections -- 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls and 2022 assembly polls -- these parties fielded only 43 candidates who together secured 54,069 votes, according to the report.

Their election reports showed expenses of just Rs 39.02 lakh, while audit reports recorded Rs 3,500 crore in spending, the report said.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "There are some anonymous parties in Gujarat whose names no one has heard of -- but they received donations worth Rs 4,300 crore!"  These parties have contested elections or spent money on them on very few occasions, Gandhi said.

"Where did these thousands of crores come from? Who is running them? And where did the money go? Will the Election Commission investigate -- or will it ask for an affidavit here too? Or will it change the law itself, so that this data can also be hidden?" the former Congress chief said, taking a swipe at the EC.

After Gandhi alleged electoral roll irregularities, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at a press conference on August 17 that the Congress leader should either submit an affidavit under oath, along with proof of irregularities, or apologise to the nation.