'Does not even have funds to put up posters'; Congress in dire straits, accuses Centre of squeezing it financially

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Apart from the political manoeuvres to disintegrate the opposition 'INDIA' front, the planned moves of the BJP and the Modi government to squeeze the Congress financially are making things difficult for the grand old party in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. The seriousness of the crisis is compounded by the fact that the leaders of the Congress high command revealed in a press conference for the first time that they do not even have the funds to put up the posters for the election campaign.

Many of the strong regional parties that joined hands during the formation of the INDIA Front are no longer in the alliance. Janata Dal-U led by Nitish Kumar, who had sought the position of the front's convener, is now in the BJP camp. Apart from Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh, the BJP has also brought Naveen Patnaik's BJD in Odisha to the NDA.

Many Congress leaders from various states have reached the BJP camp. The Congress alleges that the BJP is doing so by making huge offers and by threatening to trap them in corruption cases.

Meanwhile, the BJP claims that it has already created an impression that the Modi government will come to power at the Centre for the third consecutive time.

Party has no money for election campaign
The Income Tax Department imposed a fine of Rs 210 crore on the Congress for not submitting returns. Party leaders say that the IT Department took the action at a time when no other party, including the BJP, had submitted their income tax returns. Despite approaching the court, the Income Tax department has not returned the Rs 85 crore it seized from the account of the Congress. Moreover, it demanded that another Rs 115 crore should be deposited in the party's account. The confiscated money includes the Rs 25 crore collected by the party from the people.

Several crores are required for the weeks-long campaign of the seven-phase elections. The party needs to provide funds for candidates in various states for their expenses. The party's concern is that everything will be in disarray if the central government continues its approach to squeeze it economically.