Fund-starved Congress goes for nationwide crowdfunding ahead of 2024 polls

With its coffers running dry and the bulk of electoral bonds going to the BJP, the Congress has announced a countrywide crowdfunding campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The campaign, with its overarching theme of Donate for Desh and similar campaigns under it such as Donate for Behtar Bharat, comes ahead of the party's 138th Foundation Day (December 28) and the 103rd anniversary of the institution of the Tilak Swaraj Fund by Mahatma Gandhi.

Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the crowdfunding initiative would be an "entirely transparent operation" under which any Indian citizen over 18 years who wishes to support the Congress can contribute.

As the initiative is being launched to commemorate the party's 138th Foundation Day, the contributions will have to be in multiples of ₹138 (₹138, ₹1,380, ₹13,800, and so forth).

"Two channels have been created for this online crowdfunding: our dedicated online portal: donateinc.in and the official Indian National Congress website: www.inc.in," said Congress treasurer Ajay Maken.

The campaign will officially launch on Monday (December 18) in New Delhi, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge making the first contribution.

Venugopal has instructed all PCC chiefs to raise awareness about the crowdfunding campaign through press conferences and social media.

"The campaign will primarily be online until December 28, the foundation day, after which we will initiate ground campaigns, including door-to-door visits by volunteers, targeting at least ten houses in every booth for contributions of at least ₹138 from each house," Venugopal said.

The party wants its state-level office bearers, elected representatives, DCC Presidents, PCC Presidents, and AICC office bearers to contribute at least ₹1,380 each.

Though masked as a campaign to commemorate the party's Foundation Day, a senior Congress leader privy to details of the dwindling financial health of the party told The Federal that the initiative has been "equally necessitated by the urgent need to raise funds ahead of the Lok Sabha polls".

"The party fund has been stretched thin for a long time now. In several elections, be it assembly or the past two Lok Sabha polls, we have not been able to provide financial assistance to all our candidates as was the practice previously, and we have to either rely on our more affluent leaders to chip in with their personal resources or to let candidates raise money on their own,” he said.

“The BJP government's misuse of investigative agencies to target opposition leaders has also made it difficult for us to raise money because there is fear among our donors that they too may be similarly harassed. We all know the situation with the electoral bonds; over 90 percent of these bonds go only to the BJP. So the leadership thought the best way to raise finances would be to go directly to the people," the leader added.