Ashutosh Ranka donated ₹21,100 to AAP before CJP stint – Who else contributed to Kejriwal’s party in 2025-26?

The AAP had disclosed ₹38.10 crore in contributions in 2024-25, more than three times the ₹11.06 crore it reported in 2023-24. Prudent was its largest donor in 2024-25, giving ₹16.40 crore.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received ₹12.10 crore in donations in 2025-26, a 68 per cent decline from the previous year, according to official filings submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

About 83 per cent of the amount came from Prudent Electoral Trust and Trident Limited, a company founded by former party Member of Parliament Rajinder Gupta, according to the party's contribution report to the Election Commission, first reported by news agency PTI.

Ashutosh Ranka, now a co-convener of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and a former AAP spokesperson, donated ₹21,100 to the party in 2025-26 before taking up his role in the CJP.

Prudent and Trident each gave ₹5 crore to the AAP. The remaining contributions totalled about ₹2.10 crore, the report said.

Gupta was elected to the Rajya Sabha on an AAP ticket in October 2025.

Trident's ₹5-crore cheque was dated 9 January 2026, when Gupta was with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. He joined the BJP in April this year.

₹38.10 crore in contributions in 2024-25

The AAP had disclosed ₹38.10 crore in contributions in 2024-25, more than three times the ₹11.06 crore it reported in 2023-24. Prudent was its largest donor in 2024-25, giving ₹16.40 crore.

The latest filing covers the first full financial year since the AAP lost power in Delhi in February 2025. The party continues to govern Punjab, where Trident is based.

Its report contains 1,202 numbered entries.

Party chief Arvind Kejriwal is listed against three contributions of ₹10,000 each. Former Delhi chief minister Atishi made 12 payments of ₹3,500 each, totalling ₹42,000, while Punjab AAP president Aman Arora is listed against 12 payments of ₹10,000 each, totalling ₹1.20 lakh.

Political parties must identify donors whose contributions exceed ₹20,000 during a financial year and submit the details to the Election Commission of India. These contribution reports do not show a party's full annual income, which is reported separately in its audited accounts.

(With PTI inputs)

About the Author

Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.

^{Get Latest real-time updates}

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

HomeNewsIndiaAshutosh Ranka donated ₹21,100 to AAP before CJP stint — Who else contributed to Kejriwal’s party in 2025-26?