BJP Gets Massive Rs 259.08 Cr Infusion Through Electoral Bonds, Bharti-backed Prudent Tops Corporate Backing
In a riveting revelation, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has dissected the contribution reports of Electoral Trusts for the financial year 2022-23, unravelling a complex web of political funding dynamics.
The spotlight falls on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerges as the frontrunner, receiving a substantial infusion of Rs 259.08 crores (70.69 per cent) from electoral trusts.
The principal contributor to this windfall is the Prudent Electoral Trust, a major player that is backed by Bharti Airtel, funnelling Rs 256.25 crores into the BJP's coffers, followed by the Samaj Electoral Trust Association with a notable contribution of Rs 1.50 crores, and the Paribartan Electoral Trust with Rs 50 lakhs.
Contrastingly, four other political entities—BRS, YSR-Congress, AAP, and INC — collectively amassed Rs 107.40 crores, constituting 29.31 per cent of the total contributions from electoral trusts.
The Prudent Electoral Trust takes centre stage by disbursing the highest contributions, a staggering Rs 363.15 crores (99.09 per cent), shared among four political parties, while the Samaj Electoral Trust Association directs Rs 50 lakhs toward the INC.
Delving deeper into individual donations, Prudent Electoral Trust allocates Rs 256.25 crores to the BJP, witnessing a dip from Rs 336.50 crores in FY 2021-22, while Samaj ET Association contributes Rs 1.50 crores to the BJP in FY 2022-23.
Additionally, Samaj ET Association allocates Rs 50 lakhs to the INC. Notably, BJP captures a lion's share, receiving Rs 259.08 crores, constituting 70.69 per cent of the total donations from electoral trusts, while BRS secures Rs 90 crores (24.56 per cent).
The intricate financial landscape also involves contributions from 39 corporate/business houses, aggregating Rs 363.715 crores to electoral trusts during FY 2022-23. Among them, Prudent Electoral Trust garners Rs 360.46 crores from 34 contributors, forming the major chunk.
Megha Engg & Infra spearheads individual contributions with Rs 87 crores, followed by Serum Institute of India with Rs 50.25 crores and Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India with Rs 50 crores.
The top 10 corporate donors wield substantial influence, collectively contributing Rs 332.26 crores (90.66 per cent) to electoral trusts, exclusively directed to Prudent Electoral Trust.
This scrutiny by ADR underscores the intricate interplay of finances within the political landscape, offering a nuanced understanding of the contributions made by electoral trusts and their impact on shaping the political funding paradigm in the country.
_20240429162001original_image_11.webp)
