BJP's income in 2019-20 jumped almost 50% to Rs 3,623 crore from Rs 2,410 crore in 2018-19, while its total expenditure rose 64% to Rs 1,651 crore from Rs 1,005 crore over the same period.

According to BJP's annual audit report for the year 2019-20 put out by the Election Commission on Monday, the ruling party received Rs 2,555 crore from electoral bonds in 2019-20, a 76% increase over its Rs 1,450 crore income through this route in 2018-19. Total election expenditure of BJP in 2019-20, an election year, stood at Rs 1,352.92 crore, up from nearly Rs 792.4 crore in 2018-19.

The ruling party's income in 2019-20 was almost 5.3 times of Congress' total receipts totalling Rs 682 crore that year, and its expenditure 1.6 times of the main opposition party's total spend of Rs 998 crore in the same year. Interestingly, BJP's income in 2019-20 was more than three times the combined income of the other six national parties, namely, Congress, TMC, NCP, BSP and CPI.

In sharp contrast to the 50% increase in BJP income between 2019-20 and 2018-19, Congress's income registered a 25% decline to Rs 682 crore from Rs 998 crore in the corresponding period.

Of the Rs 3,623-crore total receipts declared by BJP for 2019-20, Rs 2,555 crore came from electoral bonds. Total contributions received by BJP were at Rs 844 crore, of which Rs 291 crore came from individuals, Rs 238 crore from companies and organisations, Rs 281 crore from institutions and welfare bodies and Rs 33 crore from 'others'. Contributions from morchas were at Rs 5 crore and from meetings at Rs 34 lakh. Application fees fetched BJP Rs 28 lakh, delegate fees nearly Rs 1.3 crore and membership fees Rs 20.1 crore.

BJP spent over Rs 400 crore on ads, up from Rs 229 crore in 2018-19. Spending on electronic media publicity totalled Rs 249 crore and that on print media Rs 47.4 crore, up from Rs 171.3 crore and Rs 20.3 crore respectively. The party also spent Rs 250.5 crore on air-travel by its leaders and candidates, up from Rs 20.63 crore in 2018-19. The higher expenses on advertising and air travel may be explained by the fact that 2019-20 was also the LS election year.

Financial assistance extended by the party to its candidates was almost Rs 198.3 crore in 2019-20, up from Rs about 60.4 crore the year before that. For the year 2019-20, the total income of Congress at Rs 682 crore, TMC at Rs 143.7 crore, CPM at Rs 158.6 crore, BSP at Rs 58.3 crore, NCP at 85.6 crore and CPI at Rs 6.6 crore.

(With inputs from agencies)