Lok Sabha elections: How cash-strapped Congress candidates are using crowdfunding for the polls

Kanhaiya Kumar has launched a crowdfunding initiative.

Kumar, the INDIA bloc candidate from Northeast Delhi, urged the public to donate in order to ‘save democracy’.

Kumar posted on X:

Kumar isn’t alone in turning to crowdfunding to raise money.

Let’s take a closer look:

The Times of India in April reported that multiple Congress candidates had used crowdfunding to garner funds.

The newspaper quoted Congress candidate from Surendranagar Rutvik Makwana as saying that he turned to this method after party leadership could not help him with funding.

Makwana, who comes from a modest financial background, told the newspaper that he raised funds from “senior party figures, business leaders and NGOs.”

The donations were transferred directly to smaller committees and booth-level areas, he added.

Naishadh Desai, the Congress candidate from Navsari, is up against BJP Gujarat chief CR Paatil.

“I did not get donations from the party despite writing multiple letters. I plan to carry a begging bowl and approach people for donations,” Desai, on the stump dressed like Mahatma Gandhi, told the newspaper.

Lalit Vasoya, the Congress candidate from Porbandar, has asked people to donate via social media and at campaign rallies through QR codes and his bank details..

Vasoya told the newspaper, “I am contesting the election on the party’s order. However, I had no money, and the party could not give me any. I am also fighting against the pollution caused by the Jetpur saree industry, so I do not expect the industrialists to fund me.”

He said he received donations ranging from Re 1 to Rs 100.

Vasoya said, “I sold 12 bighas of land to contest the election and will sell more land this time.”

But why is the Congress doing this?

This comes after the party – whose accounts have been frozen by authorities over unpaid tax dues – ordered state units to raise their own funds, as per Moneycontrol.

The outlet quoted Leader of Opposition in Kerala VD Satheesan as saying in March the party has had to turn to crowdfunding due to its inability to access its money.

He added that the public has sympathy for the Congress’ current predicament and voters often donate amounts ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200 at campaign events.

According to New Indian Express, both Shafi Parambil (the Congress-led UDF candidate in Vadakara) and Remya Haridas (UDF candidate for Alathur) have resorted to crowdfunding.

This isn’t the first time Congress candidates have resorted to crowdfunding either.

In 2021, Aritha Babu, the Youth Congress state vice-president, said she raised Rs 2 lakh in the end stages of her campaign.

Babu contested from Kayamkulam, but lost.

‘Donate for Desh’

As per The Hindu, the Congress had announced its ‘Donate for Desh’ campaign in December.

The party said it took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund.’

Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge had given the party Rs 1.38 lakh on the first day.

In January, the party said it had raised Rs 10 crore through crowdfunding.

Congress leaders have said that the crowdfunding initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’, which was launched more than a hundred years ago in 1920-21.

The party had launched an ‘outreach-cum-crowdfunding’ campaign on October 2, 2018, ahead of the last general elections, but the campaign did not gain much momentum on the ground.

The campaign was launched to coincide with the 138th year of the formation of the Congress.

The initiative aims at empowering the party in creating a country that is rich in equal resource distribution and opportunities, a senior leader said.

Donors have been asked to donate in the multiples of Rs 138, symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India.

Congress sources said the party is cash-strapped and facing a dearth of money to fight “the well-oiled BJP poll machinery”. The grand old party has alleged that the BJP is garnering a majority of electoral bonds as the scheme is designed to favour the ruling party.

“Our inaugural campaign – ‘Donate for Behtar Bharat’ – commemorates the 138-year journey of the Indian National Congress. Embracing our history, we invite supporters to donate in multiples of ₹ 138, symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India,” AICC general secretary K C Venugopal had said ahead of the campaign launch.

The BJP had mocked the Congress’ efforts as “another attempt to siphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis" and pointed to the recent record cash seizure during income tax raids against a company linked to a Congress MP.

‘Election to save democracy’

This election is an election of peace, progress and justice for us. This is an election to save democracy and against that dictatorship,” Kumar said in the video.

“We would like to appeal to all the citizens of the country who are above 18 years of age that you can participate in our elections. And to join the election campaign, you can support this election campaign to move forward,” Kumar added.

He further said that one can play their part by joining the campaign through www.fueladream.com.

“Through this medium, you can connect with online crowdfunding. We are contesting this election through crowdfunding because we think that the people’s fight can be fought with the support of the people,” he said.

Kumar said they are not raising funds through any other online or offline mediums.

BJP has fielded MP Manoj Tiwari from the constituency.

Election to all seven seats in Delhi will take place on 25 May.

With inputs from agencies