The Congress party is facing major funding problems, with a fund crunch as severe as never experienced before in its history. According to a report in Zee Media, the party has now asked its MPs to donate money - so abysmal is the situation.

Party treasurer Motilal Vora has reportedly asked all Congress MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to donate their one-month salary.

According to Zee Media sources, the Delhi state Congress unit had a meeting on Tuesday, in which former lawmakers were asked to deposit Rs 1 lakh each for the party fund by the end of October. Senior leader PC Chacko and Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken will meet former lawmakers of the state and Parliament individually on Thursday to discuss the issue, after receiving Vora's letter.

The fund drought has continued since the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. Last year, it was reported that the Congress faced funding issues for the first time in its electoral history, as corporates sensed a Narendra Modi-led BJP win and funded the saffron party heavily.

The Congress then faced huge shortage of funds during Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir, reports Zee Media. Zee sources say that though there is no upper limit, the Congress is now looking for donations above Rs 1 lakh.

"Earlier also MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the party used to donate their one month salary in party fund... Hence its time that ex-MPs, ex-MLAs, ex-MLCs, senior office bearers of the party, councillors and others, who are capable, should pitch in," said a former party MP said to Zee on the condition of anonymity.