Rahul flags Rs 4,300-cr donations to ‘anonymous parties’ in Gujarat

Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday referred to a media report alleging that certain "anonymous parties" in Gujarat received donations totalling Rs 4,300 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24. He questioned whether the Election Commission (EC) would investigate the matter or request an affidavit.

There was no response from the EC on this issue.

Gandhi, currently in Bihar participating in the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra', shared on X a media report claiming that in Gujarat, 10 anonymously registered political parties received Rs 4,300 crore in donations from 2019-20 to 2023-24.

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

Their election reports indicated expenditures of just Rs 39.02 lakh, while audit reports revealed spending of Rs 3,500 crore, the media report stated.

In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul 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!"

He highlighted that these parties have contested elections or spent money on them on very few occasions.

"Where did these thousands of crores come from? Who is running them? And where did the money go? Will the EC 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?" Rahul questioned, taking a swipe at the EC.

Following Gandhi's allegations of electoral roll irregularities, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated at a press conference on Aug 17 that the Congress leader should either submit an affidavit under oath, along with proof of irregularities, or apologise to the nation.

The 16-day ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra', which commenced on Aug 17 from Sasaram, is set to conclude on Sept 1 with a march in the state capital. The yatra will cover over 1,300 km across the state ahead of the upcoming assembly elections later this year.