At Rs 10.34 bn, BJP four times richer than Congress in FY17: ADR

Seven national parties declared a total income of Rs 15.59 billion in 2016-17, with BJP having the highest -- Rs 10.34 billion, says a report.

"This forms 66.34 per cent of the total income of national parties added together during 2016-17," Delhi-based think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said in a report released today.

Indian National Congress (INC) followed with Rs 2.25 billion -- 14.45 per cent of the total income, it said, adding that CPI has declared the lowest income of Rs 20.8 million which forms a mere 0.13 per cent.

The data has been compiled from Income Tax returns filed by the parties across the country.

The seven national parties declared a total expenditure of Rs 12.28 billion, the report added.

BJP declared the maximum expenditure of Rs 7.1 billion in 2016-17, while Congress incurred a total expense of Rs 3.21 billion (Rs 963 million more than its total income).

Every third chief minister has criminal record; 81% are crorepatis: Report

In India, around 35 per cent chief ministers have criminal cases against them and 81 per cent of the total are crorepatis, according to an ADR report released on Monday.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of current chief ministers (CMs) in state assemblies and Union territories across the nation.
These were the latest affidavits filed by them prior to contesting the elections.
"Out of the all 31 chief ministers analysed from state assemblies and Union territories, 11 (35 per cent) chief ministers have declared criminal cases against themselves," the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report noted.
Further, 26 per cent CMs have declared serious criminal cases, including related to murder, attempt to murder, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, criminal intimidation, among others.