AAP Funding Plunges Over 68% in FY 2025–26; Sharp Swings Reported Across Major Parties

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recorded a steep decline in political donations, receiving ₹12.10 crore in the financial year 2025–26—a 68% drop compared to the ₹38.10 crore it raised in 2024–25. The figures were disclosed in the party’s statutory contribution report submitted to the Election Commission of India.

Key Sources and Internal Contributions for AAP

According to AAP’s disclosure:

• Primary Corporate Donors: Roughly 83% of the total funds came from Prudent Electoral Trust and Trident Limited (associated with former AAP MP Rajinder Gupta, who subsequently joined the BJP in April). Prudent and Trident each contributed ₹5 crore during the reporting period before Gupta’s party switch.
• Individual Contributions: Former spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, who has since affiliated with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), donated ₹21,000.
• Party Leadership Contributions: National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal made three separate contributions of ₹10,000 each. Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi contributed ₹3,500 across 12 installments, while Punjab AAP President Aman Arora made 12 contributions of ₹10,000 each.
• Year-on-Year Trend: AAP’s 2024–25 receipts of ₹38.10 crore had previously surged more than threefold compared to ₹11.03 crore in 2023–24, making the 2025–26 drop a significant reversal.

Declines in Regional Parties: TDP and YSRCP

Regional political outfits also saw substantial declines in political collections:

• Telugu Desam Party (TDP): Raised ₹58.25 crore in 2025–26, marking an ₹83.03 crore drop from the previous fiscal year. Prudent Electoral Trust contributed ₹45 crore to TDP in 2025–26, up from ₹40 crore in 2024–25.
• YSR Congress Party (YSRCP): Experienced a sharp decline, securing ₹24.31 crore in 2025–26 compared to ₹140.04 crore in 2024–25.
• Biju Janata Dal (BJD): Declared collections amounting to ₹60 crore.

Surge in Assembly Election Collections: BJP Outpaces Congress

In separate filings covering key state assembly elections across Assam, West Bengal, Puducherry, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu:

• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): Collected ₹1,472.8 crore during the assembly campaign window. Between March 15 and May 4, the BJP raised roughly seven times more funding than the Congress.
• Congress: Recorded ₹207.17 crore during the corresponding period.
• Election Expenditure: The Commission’s report indicated the BJP incurred its highest regional campaign expenditure in Assam at ₹96 crore, securing 82 seats in the assembly—an increase of 22 seats over its 2021 tally.