Hyderabad: Donations declared by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) above Rs 20,000 collapsed by 82 per cent to Rs 15 crore in 2024-25, reflecting the party’s sharp political decline after losing power in Telangana in December 2023, according to an analysis of political funding disclosures released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Thursday, August 6.
BRS received just four donations worth Rs 15 crore in 2024-25, down from eight donations totalling Rs 85 crore in 2023-24, a fall of Rs 70 crore, the largest decline in absolute terms among all regional parties analysed by ADR.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), the other Telangana-based party in the analysis, declared no donations above Rs 20,000 at all in 2024-25, having reported 16 donations worth Rs 9 lakh the previous year. ADR identified AIMIM among only three regional parties nationally to have declared such donations in 2023-24 but reported none in 2024-25.
Both parties also missed filing deadlines. BRS submitted its 2024-25 contribution report nine days late and AIMIM filed 28 days late, in contrast to both parties having filed on time in 2023-24.
The ADR analysis separately noted that BRS was the largest recipient of electoral bond funding among all Telangana and Andhra Pradesh parties, having declared Rs 495 crore through the now-discontinued scheme over the period covered by the study.
In Andhra Pradesh, the contrast was stark. YSR Congress Party’s (YSRCP) collections surged 124 per cent to Rs 140 crore through 37 donations in 2024-25, up from four donations totalling Rs 62.5 crore the previous year. This is a rise of Rs 77.5 crore, even as it was voted out of office in the state in mid-2024.
The party received its entire declared contribution through bank transfers, making it the only party among the top recipients to do so. Its funding came almost entirely from corporate and business houses. YSRCP filed its contribution reports on time in both years.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which had declared the highest donations among regional parties in 2023-24, reported a 17.1 per cent fall, from Rs 100 crore through 172 donations to Rs 83 crore through 267 donations.
Over the two years, TDP received Rs 116 crore from corporate and business houses and Rs 66.6 crore from individuals, giving it one of the most diversified funding bases among the parties studied. In 2024-25, 75.5 per cent of its donations came through cheques or demand drafts with complete donor details. TDP filed its 2024-25 report 26 days after the deadline.
Jana Sena Party’s donations fell 29.7 per cent, from Rs 36 crore through 288 donations to Rs 25.3 crore through 175 donations. Nearly 60 per cent of Jana Sena’s 2024-25 donations were received through cheques or demand drafts with incomplete donor details. It was among the few regional parties to declare contributions from abroad, reporting Rs 1.9 lakh from two donors in the United States. The party filed its report 33 days late.
Nationally, declared donations above Rs 20,000 across regional parties nearly tripled, from 2,861 contributions worth Rs 347 crore in 2023-24 to 5,297 contributions totalling Rs 1,051 crore in 2024-25. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) declared the highest donations among regional parties at Rs 365 crore, followed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
