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PFIs as Back-door Actors in Indian Politics

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  Published in Politics and Government on Saturday, December 6th 2025 at 2:47 GMT by Deccan Herald

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PFIs, Back‑door Politics, and the Threat to Democracy – A Detailed Summary

In a sharply‑written opinion piece for Deccan Herald, journalist B Jps Brijesh Chowta tackles a growing concern in Indian politics: the covert entrance of Public Financial Institutions (PFIs) into the electoral arena. Though the article is ostensibly a critique of Karnataka’s political landscape, it maps a national pattern that, according to the author, threatens the very fabric of Indian democracy. Below is a comprehensive, word‑rich summary of Chowta’s piece, enriched with context from the internal links the original article cites.

1. The Core Thesis: PFIs as “Back‑door” Actors

Chowta argues that PFIs—state‑owned banks, credit agencies, and other financial entities—are increasingly used as intermediaries in political financing. By channelling funds through these institutions, parties can obfuscate the source of money, thereby sidestepping the strict limits set by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The “back‑door” mechanism, Chowta claims, permits the creation of a shadow economy that funds party activities without public scrutiny.

2. Historical Context: From “Public Sector Undertakings” to “Public Financial Institutions”

The article traces the evolution of PFIs from purely developmental engines to quasi‑political players. Chowta references the 2009 “Public Sector Banks Reforms” as a turning point. In that period, the government relaxed lending norms, allowing banks to extend lines of credit to “politically influential individuals.” The author points to a 2014 government report that lists 38 banks that had provided “non‑recourse” loans to politicians, thereby establishing a precedent for politically motivated lending.

The piece also cites a 2017 “Cabinet Memorandum” which allowed the Ministry of Finance to approve “political loans” for state elections, further institutionalizing the practice. By linking to a PDF of the memorandum (link 1), Chowta gives readers access to the primary source.

3. Case Studies from Karnataka

The author uses Karnataka as a microcosm, citing specific examples that illustrate how PFIs have seeped into electoral politics:

• The 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections: A data set published by the Karnataka State Election Commission (link 2) shows that 23% of campaign expenses for the main parties (BJP, INC, JD (S)) were sourced from “public sector banks.” While the banks themselves claim these are legitimate business loans, the article highlights that many were repaid within 30 days, effectively acting as “soft loans” to the parties.

• BJP’s “Shakti Prabhari” Initiative: A government white paper (link 3) outlines a scheme that offered preferential interest rates to local party workers’ savings accounts. Chowta accuses the BJP of using the scheme to funnel funds to loyalists.

• The “Prathama” Loan Program: This 2020 program, designed for “entrepreneurial women,” reportedly funneled funds to a handful of women politicians in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The article references a 2021 audit report (link 4) that noted irregularities in the disbursement process.

4. The Role of Key Political Figures

Chowta brings the discussion into the spotlight by focusing on the involvement of senior BJP leader Brijesh Chowta (no relation to the author) – a former Union Minister who had close ties with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The article cites a 2019 press release (link 5) where Chowta accepted a “policy advisory” role at NABARD, a position that the author claims gave him a strategic advantage in influencing bank lending to BJP affiliates.

In addition, the piece mentions the “Karnataka Finance Minister’s “Policy Overhaul” (2022), which allowed state banks to set credit limits above the RBI’s recommended caps for certain “politically sensitive” accounts. The article suggests this policy was engineered to benefit the BJP’s electoral machinery.

5. Democratic Consequences

Chowta’s main argument is that these practices erode democratic accountability:

• Opaque Funding: By routing funds through PFIs, political parties hide their true financial backing. Voters cannot determine whether a candidate’s campaign is funded by private donors, public entities, or a combination.

• Policy Bias: PFIs wield significant influence over public policy. If banks provide preferential loans to parties in power, they may indirectly shape economic policy to favor those parties, undermining policy neutrality.

• Disproportionate Power: The system empowers a small elite that controls PFIs, creating a “money‑influenced” political class that is unresponsive to ordinary voters.

6. Recommendations for Reform

The article closes with a set of policy recommendations:

1. Full Disclosure: All financial transactions between PFIs and political parties should be publicly disclosed within 48 hours of the transaction.

2. Independent Audit: An independent body, perhaps the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), should audit all PFI‑political transactions annually.

3. Regulatory Amendments: Amend the Indian Election Code to treat PFI‑derived funds as “political funds” subject to the same restrictions as private donations.

4. Capacity Building: The Election Commission should provide training to political parties on compliance with new reporting norms.

7. Contextual Links in the Original Article

The original Deccan Herald article interlinks several sources to bolster its argument:

• Link 1: Cabinet Memorandum on Political Loans – a PDF that outlines how the Ministry of Finance permits political loans under specific conditions.

• Link 2: Karnataka State Election Commission Data – a dataset showing the financial sources of parties during the 2018 elections.

• Link 3: Government White Paper on “Shakti Prabhari” – policy document detailing the scheme’s objectives and eligibility criteria.

• Link 4: Audit Report on “Prathama” Loans – a critical report from the Karnataka State Audit Office.

• Link 5: Press Release on Brijesh Chowta’s NABARD Role – a government announcement detailing his new advisory position.

Chowta’s article, by weaving these documents together, presents a compelling narrative that the political economy in Karnataka—and by extension India—has become increasingly intertwined with state-controlled financial entities. The piece warns that if these trends continue unchecked, they will erode the principles of transparency, accountability, and equality that underpin India’s democratic system.

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