Cong leaders tight fist in donation to party fund

Seeking donations from public, the Congress is yet to receive funds from its leaders in Rajasthan. Its elected representatives were supposed to donate one month’s salary towards party fund. However, around ` 40 lakh is due from MPs, MLAs and public representatives in local bodies.

Long before the current cash crunch, the party had asked its elected representatives to contribute one month’s salary to the party fund. The resolution passed in the Pachmarhi session in the late 90s had included MPs, MLAs, and chairmen of municipal bodies, zila pramukhs and panchayat pradhan in the list of contributors.

However, party sources said that the party’s elected representatives owe Rs 40 lakh. “Most of them have not paid dues in a long time. This is a constant problem,” a party official said. Having lost elections for Lok Sabha and all major states, the Congress has been facing severe cash crunch. The state unit has been asked to manage things itself. Recently, the party decided to go online for crowd funding. The amount raised through crowdfunding will be used by the party for campaigning in the assembly elections slated in the yearend and Lok Sabha elections the next year, said sources.

But, in the first three weeks the party has received just over ` 6 lakh from 321 people. On the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the state Congress kicked off a public relation cum fund collection campaign. On the first day, party collected ` 2.35 lakh, as per a senior party leader.