Gujarat’s little-known parties collected ₹4,300 crore in donations, spent almost nothing: Report
Ahmedabad: A startling case of financial irregularities has come to light in Gujarat. Ten little-known political parties, largely unheard of by the public, collected over ₹4,300 crore in donations between 2019–20 and 2023–24. Together, these parties contested only 43 candidates across three elections, the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the 2022 Gujarat Assembly election, and secured a mere 54,069 votes.
According to a Dainik Bhaskar investigation, the election expenditure declarations filed with the Election Commission showed a combined spend of just ₹39.02 lakh. However, the audited financial statements of the same parties listed their expenditure at over ₹3,500 crore, raising serious doubts of large-scale fund diversion.
Party-Wise Breakdown
Lokshahi Satta Party – Donations: ₹1,045 crore | Reported spend: ₹1,031 crore | Actual spend: ₹2.27 lakh
Satyavadi Rakshak Party – Donations: ₹416 crore | Reported spend: ₹416 crore | Actual spend: ₹1.43 lakh
New India United Party – Donations: ₹608 crore | Reported spend: ₹407 crore | Actual spend: ₹1.61 lakh
Bharatiya National Janata Dal – Donations: ₹962 crore | Reported spend: ₹961 crore | Actual spend: ₹2.83 lakh
Swatantra Abhivyakti Party – Donations: ₹663 crore | Reported spend: ₹73 crore | Actual spend: ₹12.18 lakh
Bharatiya Jan Parishad – Donations: ₹249 crore | Reported spend: ₹247 crore | Actual spend: ₹14.5 lakh
Saurashtra Janata Party – Donations: ₹200 crore | Reported spend: ₹199 crore | Actual spend: ₹1.47 lakh
Jan Man Party – Donations: ₹133 crore | Reported spend: ₹133 crore | Actual spend: ₹1.31 lakh
Manavadhikar National Party – Donations: ₹120 crore | No audit details | Actual spend: ₹82,000
Garib Kalyan Party – Donations: ₹138 crore | No audit details | Actual spend: ₹3.27 lakh
Violations and loopholes
Investigations found that at least one party, the Satyavadi Rakshak Party, received hundreds of crores in donations without submitting valid PAN details, which are mandatory for large contributions. Officials also noted that while election-time expenses were negligible, audit reports showed inflated expenditure, suggesting funds were diverted elsewhere.
Donations to these parties came not only from Gujarat but from 23 states across India, further complicating the trail of money.
ADR raises red flag
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has highlighted these discrepancies as clear signs of money laundering and tax evasion, calling for stricter oversight of political funding.
Election Commission crackdown
On the recommendation of Gujarat’s Chief Election Officer, the Income Tax Department has been asked to investigate these parties. The Election Commission has also cancelled their registrations, effectively removing them from the list of recognised political entities.
This revelation comes amid ongoing debates about Electoral Bonds and the opacity of political financing in India. While attention has mostly focused on big national and regional parties such as the BJP, Congress, TMC, SP, and NCP, the Gujarat case reveals how obscure parties functioned as conduits for massive financial transactions, sidestepping transparency and accountability in the democratic process.
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Ahead of good Friday, SWR announces special train between Yesvantpur-Kannur via Mangaluru
Bengaluru: Ahead of the upcoming Good Friday festival weekend, the South Western Railway has announced a one-trip special train service between Yesvantpur Junction and Kannur via Mangaluru Junction.
According to an official released from the SWR, Train Number 06551 Yesvantpur–Kannur Express Special will depart Yesvantpur at 11.50 am on April 2 and is scheduled to arrive Kannur at 3.00 am on April 3.
In the return direction, Train Number 06552 Kannur–Yesvantpur Express Special will leave Kannur at 8.45 am on April 3 and reach Yesvantpur at 9.30 pm the same day.
The special train will halt at Kunigal, Channarayapatna, Hassan, Sakleshpura, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Bantawala, Mangaluru Junction, Kasaragod, Kanhangad and Payyannur.
The train composition will have two AC two-tier coaches, six AC three-tier coaches, seven sleeper class coaches, four general second class coaches.
