New Delhi, Dec 11: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has garnered over Rs 9.6 crore in donations, in excess of Rs 20,000 from thousands of its supporters and well-wishers in the last financial year, according to data submitted to the Election Commission. A number of political parties recently submitted their annual reports of contributions of over Rs 20,000 received by them, as stipulated under Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 which enables recognised political parties to get tax exemptions on this income, to the Election Commission (EC) which gives them to the Income-Tax Department for scrutiny in this regard.

New Delhi, Dec 11: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has garnered over Rs 9.6 crore in donations, in excess of Rs 20,000 from thousands of its supporters and well-wishers in the last financial year, according to data submitted to the Election Commission. A number of political parties recently submitted their annual reports of contributions of over Rs 20,000 received by them, as stipulated under Section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 which enables recognised political parties to get tax exemptions on this income, to the Election Commission (EC) which gives them to the Income-Tax Department for scrutiny in this regard.
Records state that the AAP got a total of Rs 9,61,51,672 from as many as 1,571 donors who had contributed varied amounts of funds through cheques, cash or electronic transfer to the party. The tally, for the 2013-14 fiscal, is led by the Congress which has received donations worth over Rs 66 crore and NCP which has got slightly more than Rs 14 crore under the same category. The BJP is the only national party which has not submitted this data to the EC till now. Other recognised parties who have not submitted this information to the poll panel include TRS, BJD, YSRCP, INLD, LJP, National Conference and PDP. Among others parties who submitted their donations list includes JD (S) at over Rs 5.48 crore, JD (U) over Rs 2.17 crore, CPI (Marxist) more than Rs 2.09 crore, CPI over 1.28 crore, Shiv Sena over Rs 1.81 crore and TDP more than Rs 1.01 crore.

Concerned over the impasse in Rajya Sabha over Union Minister Niranjan Jyoti’s remarks, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien today directed leaders of opposition parties and the government to sit together and hammer out a solution by Monday.

Kurien adjourned the House for the day at about 3.15 PM after it failed to transact any business for the fourth consecutive day today with an agitated opposition insisting on the sacking of the Minister.

“Leaders of the opposition parties and government should sit together and work out a solution by Monday. The Chair cannot take a decision,” Kurien, who was in the Chair, observed.

His observations came after the House witnessed four adjournments before the Chair called it a day as opposition uproar continued over the demand and members insisted on a resolution to condemn the Sadhvi’s remarks.

“There is an impasse between the government and the opposition and as long as this issue is not resolved we will not allow the House to run,” said Deputy Leader of Opposition Anand Sharma when Kurien pleaded that private members’ bill be taken up.

The Congress member charged the government with forcing a stalemate in the House.

Kurien said he did not find any use in furthering the discussion before adjourning the House.

Earlier, when the House met after lunch members trooped into the Well demanding sacking of the Union Minister, forcing the Chair to adjourn it within barely 10 minutes of sitting.

Satyavrat Chaturvedi (Cong) contended, “Expression of the Prime Minister’s speech is almost identical to the resolution, we are making. What is the problem for the government?”

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the issue should be “closed” as the Prime Minister himself has “strongly disapproved” of the remarks in the House.

The Minister concerned too was in the House and had apologised, he said adding that senior Ministers Arun Jaitley and Venkiah Naidu had also disapproved of it in the House.

December 4 (Thursday)

Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will deliver a speech at the Columbia University on Sunday (December 7).

Kejriwal has been invited to speak at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). This programme is among his important engagements during the packed schedule at New York.

The AAP convenor left for a five-day trip of Dubai and New York today (Thursday) afternoon.

Kejriwal will be in Dubai till Saturday evening, from where he will proceed to New York.

The AAP reiterates that no fund raising programme has been planned or proposed for Dubai, as has been wrongly reported in a section of the media.

A needless controversy has also been created about Kejriwal’s travel.

The AAP makes it clear that entire programme details for Kejirwal’s five day trip has already been made public and the ticket for his entire tour has been arranged by his IIT batchmates and organisers.

The party is surprised at the attempts to rake up an unnecessary issue when all details are in the public domain and all details about the trip have already been provided.

The AAP puts all details about its funds and sources from where it is generated in the public domain and challenges other political parties to reveal their sources of funds. (ENDS)

Shiv Sena has finally decided to join the Devendra Fadnavis-led government in Maharashtra on Tuesday. The Shiv Sena will get 12 portfolios in the Maharashtra Cabinet and is also likely to get another berth in the Union Cabinet.
The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on Wednesday. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party will not get the deputy CM post but is almost certain to get the PWD ministry.
There were reports that the Shiv Sena which had been demanding the post of the deputy chief minister and crucial Home Ministry, had toned down the demand and was ready to settle for other ministerial posts but nobody from either side confirmed the same.
The hint that the deal is almost sealed between ruling BJP and Sena came from the chief minister on Monday.
“Talks with Shiv Sena are going on. Even yesterday we had very positive talks. We are moving in the right direction. I am very sure we will be able to successfully conclude these talks. We can say that 70-80 per cent talks have been completed where both the parties agree. Some things are left on which we are still discussing,” Fadnavis said.
His statement was echoed by senior BJP minister Vinod Tawde who said the final outcome will emerge in a day or two.
“The chief minister has made it clear that we wanted Sena with us in power. Talks on this issue have started. Whatever proposals have to be given to each other, that process has also started,” he said in Ratnagiri.
According to the Sena leader the demands put forward by the party before BJP are “logical” and have no resemblance to media reports that Sena is asking certain ministries considered to be money spinners. “We have only demanded ministries through which we can connect to the people,” the leader said.
“When we were in power, we had given similar ministries to the BJP. Today when we are demanding the same ministries, what is wrong in that?” the Sena leader questioned.

A volunteer get together was organized to mark the event at Kesahv Gorae Hall, Goregoan West on 30/11/2014. AAP is trying hard to get back its glory of last year. The only challenge as of now is to however win the Delhi elections. In this uphill task Arvind Kejriwal has appealed all volunteers to contribute in the Delhi elections by physically being present or by financial means. In his appeal to the volunteers Kejriwal mentioned the galloping horse of winning states by the BJP must be stopped. He further said strategically Delhi being the Capital it will destroy the image of BJP if AAP wins.

Looking at the present situation the volunteers are now coming back and are eager to go to Delhi for a helping hand. The victory of last year was also due to active participation of Mumbai which was specifically mentioned by Kejriwal and other prominent leaders.

AAP will take care of all necessary logistics like food , accommodation and train expenses. Kejriwal pointed out that the middle class in Delhi is now coming back to AAP. This is a very positive indication he stated. The major junk of voters is from the middle class.

On the other hand a huge number of RSS members are going to Delhi to campaign for the elections. BJP has planned 1077 general meetings all over Delhi in which Modi will be present on at least 15 such meetings. BJP will put forward all its money and muscle power to win this historic victory.

The competition is tough AAP banking on people’s trust and faith on the other hand BJP will promote itself as a brand of a corporate company. BJP has the full support of paid media whereas AAP will have to bank on limited number of likeminded media agencies. Business tycoons like Ambanis and the Adanis will generously donate the BJP whereas AAP will collect funds from the Aam Admi.