New Delhi, November 8, 2026: The Indian National Congress has recorded a sharp decline in political donations, with contributions exceeding ₹20,000 falling by approximately 75% to ₹130.7 crore in the financial year 2025–26, according to the party’s contribution report submitted to the Election Commission of India.
The figure marks the party’s lowest reported collection from this category of donations in three years, compared with ₹517.4 crore received during FY2024–25.
The decline comes despite Assembly elections in Bihar and preparations for elections in several other states during the financial year.
Congress Donations Fall From ₹517 Crore to ₹131 Crore
According to the contribution report, Congress received ₹130.7 crore in donations exceeding ₹20,000 during FY2025–26.
This represents a significant decline from the previous financial year.
The party had reported ₹517.4 crore in such contributions during FY2024–25, meaning collections fell by approximately ₹386.7 crore.
The latest figures also show that donations were nearly 53% lower than those reported in FY2023–24.
The data reflects contributions covered by the Election Commission’s reporting requirements rather than every source of party income.
Congress Donation Figures Over Three Years
| Financial Year | Reported Donations Above ₹20,000 |
|---|---|
| FY2023–24 | Approximately ₹278 crore |
| FY2024–25 | ₹517.4 crore |
| FY2025–26 | ₹130.7 crore |
The figures indicate that FY2024–25 saw a substantial increase before donations declined sharply the following year.
Prudent Electoral Trust Contributions Drop Sharply
A major factor in the decline was the reduced contribution from Prudent Electoral Trust, an important channel for political donations.
In FY2024–25, Prudent contributed approximately ₹216 crore to Congress.
However, its contribution fell to just ₹25 crore in FY2025–26.
This represents a decline of approximately 88.5%.
Prudent’s share of the party’s reported donations also decreased from 41.8% to approximately 19%.
The trust was the only electoral trust identified as contributing to Congress during the latest financial year.
Major Donors Include Star Cement and Business Leaders
Apart from Prudent Electoral Trust, several companies and individuals made significant contributions.
The major reported donors included:
- Star Cement Limited: ₹5 crore
- Sajjan Bhajanka: ₹4 crore
- Afnan Constructions: ₹3 crore
- Prem Kumar Bhajanka: ₹2 crore
- IPSUM Proadvisors: ₹1 crore
- SMS Builders: ₹1 crore
The figures indicate that larger contributions continued to account for an important share of the party’s declared donations.
However, the reduction in electoral trust funding significantly affected the overall total.
Nine Large Donations Account for Nearly One-Third of Funds
According to the Election Commission filing, just nine donations of ₹1 crore or more contributed ₹43 crore.
This represented approximately one-third of the party’s total reported contributions exceeding ₹20,000.
Meanwhile, 1,321 donations of ₹5 lakh or less collectively accounted for ₹37.2 crore.
These smaller contributions represented approximately 28.5% of the total.
The report contained 1,735 contribution entries, with a median donation amount of ₹3 lakh.
The distribution shows that a relatively small number of major contributors continued to provide a substantial portion of the reported funding.
Election-Year Donations May Explain Earlier Increase
The significant difference between FY2024–25 and FY2025–26 may partly reflect changes in political fundraising during election cycles.
Congress had reported an approximately 84% increase in contributions during FY2024–25 compared with the preceding year.
Election-related activity can influence political fundraising as parties seek resources for campaigning, organisation and voter outreach.
However, the latest decline is notable because FY2025–26 also included the Bihar Assembly election and preparations for elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.
The available contribution data does not establish a single cause for the reduction.
Donations Fall Despite State Election Activity
The financial year 2025–26 included significant political activity across several Indian states.
Political parties were preparing for Assembly elections and conducting organisational campaigns.
Despite these activities, Congress recorded its lowest donation collection in three years in the category reported.
The decline raises questions about changes in donor preferences, fundraising patterns and the distribution of political contributions.
However, financial filings alone cannot establish the motives of individual donors or indicate changes in political support among voters.
Congress Audit Report Yet to Be Released
An important limitation of the latest data is that the party’s complete audited financial report for FY2025–26 was not available at the time of reporting.
The contribution statement covers donations exceeding ₹20,000, but political parties may also receive money through other permitted sources.
For example, Congress reported collecting more than ₹350 crore through the issuance and sale of coupons in FY2024–25.
The pending audit report will provide a clearer picture of the party’s total income, expenditure and overall financial position.
Therefore, the ₹130.7 crore figure should not be interpreted as Congress’s entire income for FY2025–26.
Why Political Donation Reports Matter
Political donation disclosures are an important part of financial transparency in India’s electoral system.
Registered political parties are required to report qualifying contributions to the Election Commission under applicable laws and regulations.
These disclosures help the public understand declared sources of political funding.
They also allow researchers, journalists and citizens to compare fundraising patterns across financial years.
However, contribution statements provide only part of the financial picture, making audited annual accounts important for a broader assessment.
Political Funding Remains Under Public Scrutiny
Political financing has been a major subject of debate in India, particularly following judicial and regulatory developments involving electoral bonds and disclosure requirements.
The Supreme Court’s February 2024 judgment declaring the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional increased attention to transparency in political donations.
Electoral trusts and other permitted funding channels remain relevant to political parties’ finances.
The latest Congress figures provide another opportunity to examine how declared contributions are changing.
A comprehensive comparison across parties would require equivalent financial disclosures covering the same reporting period.
What the Decline Means for Congress
The reported reduction suggests that Congress received substantially less money through large declared contributions in FY2025–26.
Political funding can influence campaign planning, staffing, communication and organisational activities.
However, the donation figures alone do not establish whether the party experienced an overall financial shortfall.
Other sources of income, available reserves and expenditure decisions may affect its financial position.
The forthcoming audited financial statement will therefore be important in assessing the broader implications.
Congress Records Lowest Donations in Three Years
The Election Commission filing highlights a significant change in Congress’s reported fundraising.
Donations exceeding ₹20,000 declined from ₹517.4 crore in FY2024–25 to ₹130.7 crore in FY2025–26.
The reduction in Prudent Electoral Trust’s contributions accounted for a substantial portion of the decline.
With the party’s full audit report still awaited, the latest figures offer an important but incomplete view of its financial position.
The disclosure is expected to add to discussions about political funding transparency and the changing patterns of contributions to major Indian political parties.
Source: The Times of India, November 8, 2026; Congress Contribution Report Filed With the Election Commission of India
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