The NCP President Sharad Pawar has confessed that there is no money remains in the party’s treasury. NCP’s Core Committee meeting was held on Tuesday in Yashwantrao Chavan Hall in Mumbai. In this meeting, Pawar urged party workers to focus on social media and mouth publicity for the election campaign. The party, who ruled for 15 years in a row, is now running out of money within the 2 decades of its foundation.
For election campaign focus more on social media and mouth publicity – Sharad Pawar
“The BJP has money for the publicity of election campaigns. But right now our party is not in such situation. The BJP can win the elections with the help of money. So whatever time we have, try to reach to the people through social media & mouth publicity, let people know about our earlier development work.”
Every election needs huge amount of money, may it Corporator or MLA Elections. The election cost has now become a matter of concern for the bigger parties. NCP, which has been in power in the state and at the Center for years with Congress, has also raised concerns about the expenditure incurred for upcoming Parliament and Assembly elections. Surprisingly, many veteran MLAs and current leaders who were Ministers for 15 years do not fund the party. “It is disappointing that many leaders who are only bothered about earning money for self and not concerned about party fund are sitting on the important positions in the party, said a young party worker of NCP spoke to ‘My Mahanagar’. Only a few businessmen belonging to the Pawar family supports the party, he said.
Without being in power, it’s hard to get money
Since the party was formed in 1999, the money was collected through primary and the working members. A nominal fee of rupees 5 is charged for 3 years from the primary members. In the last 3 years, 14 lakh workers have taken party membership and therefore Rs. 70 lakh have been deposited in the party fund. While in power, there were many people who contributed for the party fund, it was accumulated in party’s treasury. Since we have a Socialist leader like Sharad Pawar, party has always being benefited with his ideology. Apart from this, half of the development funds received by the MLA and the MPs are spent on the developmental work of the constituency decided by the party. Party also instructs the candidates to spend in their respective constituencies. For the promotions in media, party spends money on flags, banners, billboards, hoardings. In addition to this, Rs. 8,000 is taken from each MLA for party office. Former Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar had given money for renewal of party office at Nariman Point. There are other leaders also who spend money for party like this and also take care of their constituency. Party also had big support from Chhagan Bhujbal.
False allegations of corruption – Bhaskar Jadhav, Former State President, NCP
The corruption allegations made against NCP were false, it is now being proved as the party has no fund for election campaigns. Since we were in the power for continuous 15 years, our party and leaders were blamed of corruption. If as per the allegations, there were billions of rupees with party, today party’s financial situation would have not been like this. The money which used to come in the party was used only for development work and it never went for the party.
Pawar Saheb is Realistic – Nawab Malik, Chief Spokesperson, NCP
The BJP is aggressively doing publicity as they have huge money to spend on advertisements. Other parties are not having the same fund like BJP. Therefore BJP can spend money on Print Media, TV Media, and Hoardings. So campaigning through the wide use of social media mouth publicity are the only options NCP has. This is the reason that our National President Sharad Pawar has said that party is lacking fund as he always thinks realistic. Though the NCP is in power since 1999, the money coming to the party has been used for development works. While in the power, there is continuous flow of donations to the party but when you are not in power, no one donates for party.
Office expenditure is also out of budget
NCP is not able to bear its office cost. Since the office has been shifted to Ballard Pier from Nariman Point, the office cost has a lot. Prior to this, the office was receiving the party fund, and also the member fee was being used for expenditure. Now as the getting fund is difficult, they have to use the money deposited in the bank. The monthly expenditure of NCP office is 5 lakhs rupees. There are 15 employees in the office. It has become very difficult for them to manage all the expenses including from these employees’ salaries.
