NEW DELHI: Donations to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has risen from Rs 10.61 crores in fiscal 2018-19 to Rs 19.17 crores, so far, in fiscal 2019-20. Its total expenditure, too, is up from Rs 10.53 crores in 2018-19 to Rs 16.11 crore, so far, this fiscal.
According to an audit of the party’s accounts submitted to the Election Commission, the AAP spent around Rs 6.6 crores for publicity campaign in the current financial year.
The party unleashed a publicity blitz around the Lok Sabha elections for which it fielded candidates in all Delhi seats and a few in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana.
Majority of the party’s total income in fiscal 2018-19, which stands at Rs 19.31 crores was through donations. The party received only Rs 27,400 as fees and subscriptions last fiscal.
As far as expenses go, nearly Rs 4.30 crores has been shown as election expenditure in the AAP audit, while another Rs 6.69 crores is shown as propaganda expenses, the highest among all expenditure heads.
The ruling party, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, shelled out another Rs 3.66 crores from its coffers for administrative and general expenses.
The party, which has already started gearing up for the Assembly elections next year, is likely to mount a fundraising effort, seeking donations from across the country.
It is likely to hold mass outreach programmes across the city as the Assembly election draws near.
Earlier, the party drew a lot more in donations from outside Delhi.
However, the extent of donations seems to have reduced in recent years. In 2017-18, the party could only raise Rs 10.61 crores through donations, says the audit submitted to the poll panel.