Landslide loss in revenue of TD

The ruling Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh saw a drastic drop in revenue from its primary source — the party membership fee — according to its own audit report.

In 2017, the party received revenue of `6.07 crore in the form of annual subscription from members; this plunged to 1.79 crore, a five-fold drop, in

2018. The overall funds for the TD plunged from

`72.92 crore in 2017 to

`19.40 crore in 2018. However, money came in from voluntary donations. The TD received Rs 9.2 crore in 2018 against Rs 6.8 crore in the previous year from this source. It received `8.3 crore from other sources which it has not named. In total, the TD received `19.40 crore in 2017-18, less by `53 crore approximately than the previous year.

Comparing the two regional parties in power, the TD is richer than the TRS in revenue received through donations. However, the TD has a head start being established in 1982, while the TRS came into being in

2001. Also, the TD ruled united Andhra Pradesh for three terms — 1983,

1985 and 1994 — and came to power in 2014 in AP.

As per the audit report submitted by the TD to the Election Commission of India, the maximum the party spent was on administration and general expenses — `7.16 crore, followed by poll expenditure of `6.38 crore.