Cong announces ‘Donate for Desh’ crowdfunding on the lines of Gandhiji's ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’ ahead of LS polls

New Delhi: Congress is taking the crowdfunding route to fill its depleted coffers ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in April-May, in what the party said is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’ for raising funds for the non-cooperation movement.

The crowdfunding ‘Donate for Desh’ initiative – which has an online as well as offline component – will be launched by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on December 18 here. The campaign is launched to help the Congress create a “better India”.

“Our inaugural campaign commemorates the Congress’s 138-year journey. Embracing our history, we invite our supporters to donate in multiples of Rs 138 – for eg, Rs 138, Rs 1,380, Rs 13,800 or more – symbolising the party’s enduring commitment to a better India,” Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said.

He said state-level office bearers, elected representatives, district and state presidents and AICC office bearers are being encouraged to contribute at least Rs 1,380 each. 

The campaign primarily will be online till December 28, the party’s Foundation Day, after which a ground campaign, including door-to-door visits by volunteers, targeting at least ten houses in every booth for contributions of at least Rs 138, he said.

Two channels – www.donateinc.in and www.inc.in – have been created for online crowdfunding.

State presidents have been asked to identify potential donors among well-wishers and functionaries aiming for contributions for Rs 1,380 or Rs 13,800. “This strategic approach will ensure the success of our vision for a better India,” Venugopal told reporters.

Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken said those who donate money to the party via online will get a certificate and 'thank you' message on their phones. He said the party will only seek the donor’s name, phone number and state to which they belong to while making the donation.

Only Indian citizens above 18 years of age are eligible for donating money to the party, he said.

Congress has been toying with the idea of crowdfunding after the suggestion was made by some delegates during the Udaipur Chintan Shivir in May 2022.

Earlier, the party also mulled the option of adopting its Kerala unit's fund collection method to augment its coffers – by reaching out to people for small donations.

Sources said Maken was supporting the idea since Udaipur conclave for a public reach out for funds. 

At the conclave, Kerala leaders, especially former Kerala Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, had briefed the group dealing with organisational issues, about the fund collection methods adopted by them in the past several years.

Though it did not make it to the final Udaipur Declaration, the report prepared by the committee headed by Mukul Wasnik on deliberations had specific mention of the way the Kerala unit was mobilising funds. There was a special mention of the collection of small donations like Rs five and Rs 10 from households.