BJP earned over Rs 1000 crore, spent Rs 758 crore in 2017-18; ADR

The ruling BJP has declared a total income of over Rs 1,000 crore in 2017-18 spending over Rs 750 crore in the year. However, the income and expenditure of the Congress party were not known with the party 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 Bharatiya Janata Party’s total income for 2017-18 stood at Rs 1,027.339 crore followed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) at Rs 104.847 crore. The Mayawati-led BSP declared a total income of Rs 51.694 crore in the year.

The BJP’s income for the year came down by nearly Rs 7 crore as compared to Rs 1034.27 crore total income it had declared in 2016-17.

On the expenditure front, the BJP spent Rs 758.47 crore in the year, followed by the CPI-M at Rs 83.482 crore and the BSP which spent Rs 14.78 crore.

Incidentally, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) declared a total income Rs 8.15 crore but spent Rs 8.84 crore, an excess of Rs 69 lakh over what it earned during the year.

The other national parties — Trinamool Congress declared a total income of Rs 5.167 crore while the Communist Party of India (CPI)’s total income was Rs. 1.55 crore.

The Congress, which in 2016-17 earned Rs 225.36 crore, 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.