Political donations: BJP gets lion's share; Cong fewer than TRS, AAP

The BJP received ₹351.50 crore or 72.17 per cent of the total donations made to political parties by Electoral Trusts in 2021-22, while the Congress received fewer than the TRS, Samajwadi Party, AAP and the YSR Congress, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Electoral trust is a non-profit organisation formed in India for the orderly receiving of contributions from corporate entities and individuals to political parties.

It aims at improving transparency in the usage of funds for election-related expenses.
The BJP received nineteen times more donations than the Congress in 2021-22 from electoral trust, the ADR data showed. The total donations to the BJP were over 2.5 times of what went to the other nine parties.

The ADR, in its analysis of Electoral Trusts, said ₹351.50 crore or 72.17 per cent of the total donations received by all political parties in 2021-22 went to the BJP.

According to ADR, the Congress received ₹18.44 crore from electoral trust, while the TRS received ₹40 crore, Samajwadi Party ₹27 crore, Aam Aadmi Party ₹21.12 crore and YSR Congress ₹20 crore.

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The SAD received ₹7 crore, Punjab Lok Congress Party ₹1 crore, Goa Forward Party and DMK ₹50 lakh each through electoral trust, the report said.

Electoral Trusts which have declared receiving contributions during FY 2021-22, have received a total amount of ₹487.09 crore from corporates and individuals and distributed ₹487.06 crore (99.99 per cent) to various political parties, said the ADR.

89 corporate houses contributed 475.80 crore to Electoral Trusts

Eighty-nine corporate/business houses contributed ₹475.80 crore to Electoral Trusts in FY 2021-22, 62 contributed ₹456.30 crore to Prudent Electoral Trust, two corporates contributed ₹10 crore to AB General Electoral Trust, three corporates contributed ₹5 crore to Samaj Electoral Trust and 15 corporates contributed ₹2.20 crore to Independent Electoral Trust.

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The ADR said 40 individuals have contributed to Electoral Trusts in FY 2021-22, 13 individuals contributed ₹8.53 crore to Prudent Electoral Trust, 15 individuals contributed ₹2.61 crore to Independent Electoral Trust and 12 individuals gave a total of ₹14.34 lakh to Small Donation Electoral Trust.

Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India Ltd contributed the highest amount worth ₹70 crore amongst all donors of the Electoral Trusts, followed by Acrelor Mittal Design and Engg Centre Pvt Ltd with ₹60 crore and Bharti Airtel Limited which contributed ₹51 crore, to various Trusts, the report said.