Congress’s Fund-amental Issue: Frozen Accounts Row Heats Up Fight With BJP Ahead of 2024 Poll Battle

The row over the alleged freezing of four accounts of the Congress has thawed the inertia in the party over crowdfunding and political campaigns.

Coming just a day after the Supreme Court judgment on electoral bonds, it gave the Congress a chance to link it to freezing of its accounts.

At a press conference, treasurer of the party, Ajay Maken called it the “end of democracy" and also said that this move will curtail and stop the salaries and expenditures of the Congress. But with some luck, the matter was heard in the income tax tribunal, which gave it relief, as the accounts were de-freezed and the case will continue to be heard next week.

For the Congress, however, it was a chance to once again accuse the government of using its agencies and departments to silence the opposition.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge jumped in to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

‘HOW IS BJP RESPONSIBLE FOR I-T ACTIVITY?’

However, sources told News18 that the government or ministry had nothing to with it. “It is not political. It’s a simple regulatory procedure…"

The BJP, too, distanced itself. Its spokesperson Ajay Alok said, “It is an I-T activity, how can the BJP be held responsible for it? It’s sick thinking. The courts are there, go and approach them."

“What applies to common man will apply to the Congress…They will have to pay Rs 115 crore. If they don’t have, they have to get it. Transactions on electoral bonds have not been stopped… They brought the era of black money in the Lok Sabha," said sources.

CROWDFUNDING AS ‘CROWD-PULLER’

The Congress crowdfunding has been under a cloud, with many in the BJP accusing the party of making money to fund the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Over electoral bonds, the Congress has made the point that the BJP has unaccounted-for cash and it gives no defence. But it stops the opposition parties from getting access to donations, as those who give are targeted.

Sources in the Congress have lamented in the past that the party is running out of money and, with the BJP using huge money at its disposal to topple and buy leaders, it cannot win or fund polls.

The crowdfunding idea was given to ensure that funding was transparent. And two, it could tell people that Congress, unlike the BJP, is not “cash-rich".

For the Congress, with the BJP successfully building the narrative that the grand old party is soaked in corruption, this issue is important. But will it click?