‘We don’t have money to spend…’, says Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of Lok Sabha polls 2024

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge has alleged that Prime Minister Modi-led Central government has frozen the bank account of his party and is therefore facing funding crunches.

Kharge claimed that probe agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, under the supervision of the Centre, have imposed huge fines, and frozen Congress' bank account.

"It was our party money that you the people gave as donations, they have frozen it and we don't have money to spend," the Congress President said on Wednesday in a press conference.

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal unfreezes Congress' bank accounts, Kharge says 'power drunk Modi Govt…'

Taking up the issue of electoral bonds, which got scrapped by the Supreme Court of India last month, said, " They (Bharatiya Janata party) are not disclosing about electoral bonds they got because their theft will come out, their wrong deeds will come out, so they asked for time till July".

In February this year, Congress announced that its bank accounts had been frozen by the Income Tax department in connection with a dispute over a tax demand of ₹210 crore. Later, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) allowed the party to partly operate its accounts for a week.

Last week, ITAT dismissed the Congress plea seeking a stay on the I-T's proceedings against its bank accounts.

Congress plea to stay I-T dept action on its bank accounts dismissed, party to move high court

Reacting to the ITAT order, Congress senior leader Ajay Maken said they would opt for legal options and might appeal to the High Court on funding matter.

Earlier this year, Congress launched a crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for Desh' to fight against PM Modi-led BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress leaders said the campaign was inspired by the 'Tilak Swaraj Fund' started in the year 1920. The Congress announced about the crowdfunding campaign on its 138th anniversary of its foundation. It urged the citizens to pay the money in multiples of 138 (e.g., ₹138, ₹1380, ₹13,800, or more).

Congress also launched a 'Donate for Nyay' crowdfunding campaign for the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.