Delhi CM Atishi turns to crowdfunding for election campaign

New Delhi [India], January 12 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has launched a crowdfunding campaign to contest the Kalkaji assembly constituency in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections 2025. The campaign aims to raise Rs 40 lakh, and Atishi has assured that the funds will be used solely for election purposes.

Atishi emphasised that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has always relied on public donations to fund its election campaigns, refusing to accept money from big businessmen. She recalled how the AAP won previous elections with “small donations” from the people.

“…People donated money to support Aam Admi Party’s honest politics. We don’t take money from big businessmen for elections. AAP government works for the common people. For my election from Kalkaji, I am launching a crowdfunding campaign for Rs 40 lakh, which I need for the election. People can donate any amount they want…,” Atishi told reporters here.

AAP leader Reena Gupta pointed out that Atishi, who presented a budget of Rs 70,000 crore, is likely the first sitting CM in the country’s history to seek crowdfunding for her election campaign.

AAP leader Reena Gupta said, ” Since its formation, AAP has collected funds from the public to contest elections.”

Gupta stated that Atishi, who presented a budget of Rs 70000 crore would “probably be the first sitting CM” in the history of the country, seeking crowdfunding and asking the people. “For Rs 40, 000 lakh, he is saying, come and do support me.”

The BJP has sharply criticised the AAP-led government, alleging widespread corruption, inefficiency in implementing welfare schemes, and a failure to address the growing pollution levels in the city.

The BJP has even gone as far as calling AAP’s governance a threat to Delhi, drawing a parallel to “AAPda” — a term they say reflects the disruptive impact on the capital under the AAP rule.

On the other hand, AAP has hit back at the BJP labelling it as the “Galli Galoch party” and accusing it of “dishonest tactics’ and “electoral fraud”.

The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8.

The last date for filing nominations is January 17. The date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18. While last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20.

The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got only eight seats.