Congress Likely To Cross Rs 20-Crore Mark Through Crowdfunding Campaign Today: Ajay Maken

Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the online donation campaign launched by the party on December 18 has generated Rs 2 crore in two hours today.

The Congress on Saturday said it is expecting to cross Rs 20 crore mark through crowdfunding campaign ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said the online donation campaign launched by the party on December 18 has generated Rs 2 crore in two hours today, news agency ANI reported. "Earlier, the grand old party had collected Rs 17 crore via crowdfunding campaign, which after 2 crore is expected to cross Rs 20 crore mark by today," Maken stated. 

Speaking about new initiatives undertaken in the crowdfunding campaign, Maken stated that anyone who donates Rs 670 or more will be given a T-shirt signed by party MP Rahul Gandhi as a gift. Secondly, with a donation of Rs 67,000 or more, one will get a Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra kit which will have a signed t-shirt, badge, stickers, and a bag. 

"At last, those who will be donating any sum of money will also get a letter signed by Rahul Gandhi with the name of the person who made the donation," Maken stated. 

The Congress began the 'Donate for Desh' crowdfunding drive on December 18, with party head Mallikarjun Kharge contributing ₹ 1.38 lakh on the first day. The initiative aims to generate resources for the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP, on the other hand, has slammed the opposition party, accusing it of "another attempt to syphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis" and citing a recent record cash seizure during income tax searches on a firm related to a Congress MP.

Congress officials have stated that the crowdfunding project was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's historic 'Tilak Swaraj Fund', which was established over a century ago in 1920-21.

The party started a 'outreach-cum-crowdfunding' campaign on October 2, 2018, before of the last general elections, however it did not garner much traction on the ground.

The campaign was designed to commemorate the 138th anniversary of the Congress' founding.

The project intends to strengthen the party in constructing a country with equitable resource distribution and opportunity, according to a top official.