The total income of 36 regional parties dropped by over 51 % in the financial year 2024-25. They spent more than they earned, however, with their total expenditure exceeding their combined income by 20%, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The combined income of the 36 regional parties stood at ₹1,193 crore in 2024-25, down from ₹2,463 crore the previous year, a decline of ₹1,270 crore or 51.6%, the ADR analysis showed.

The total expenditure declared by these parties, however, reached ₹1,433 crore, exceeding their consolidated income by ₹240 crore, or about 20%.

ADR analysed the audited accounts of 36 out of 67 recognised regional parties whose annual audit reports for 2024-25 were available on the Election Commission website. The remaining 31 parties had not made their audit reports available even 207 days after the October 31, 2025 deadline, it said.

Top earners and spenders

The top five parties accounted for nearly 69% of the total income and over 77% of total expenditure among the parties analysed, with the highest income declared by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at ₹228 crore, followed closely by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) at ₹219 crore and the YSR Congress at ₹140 crore.

On the expenditure front, the YSR Congress spent the most at ₹340 crore, followed by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) at ₹288 crore and the AITC at ₹228 crore.

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Of the 36 parties, 21 spent more than the income they collected during the year, with the YSR Congress topping the list. It spent a whopping 142% more than its earnings, with an excess expenditure amount of almost ₹200 crore.

Other parties which reported expenditure exceeding their income were the Trinamool Congress, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the BJD, the Janata Dal (United), and the Samajwadi Party.

There were 15 parties which reported unspent income, with the TDP reporting the largest surplus, retaining ₹167 crore unspent, followed by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the AIADMK with about ₹36 crore each.