The Tatas-controlled Progressive Electoral Trust contributed ₹356 crore to the BJP in the financial year leading up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, making it the top donor to the party in 2018-19 among those listed as having contributed more than ₹20,000 that the BJP had submitted to the Election Commission of India. The BJP’s contribution report, submitted on October 31 and made public by the ECI on Monday, shows the ruling party received a cheque of ₹356,53,55,172 from the Mumbai-based trust.
Prudent Electoral Trust, which includes contributions from DLF Limited, Bharti Airtel, GMR Airports, DCM Shriram Ltd. and Jubilant Foodworks Limited, gave the BJP a total of ₹54.25 crore in nine cheques over the financial year. The New Democratic Trust, which has been funded by three Mahindra companies, gave the BJP ₹2.5 crore.
The BJP’s donors’ list ranged from big corporate houses — with ITC Limited giving ₹10.57 crore, Hero Cycles contributing ₹12 crore and Mankind Pharma donating ₹1 crore — to businesses across the country including sweet shops, stone crushing units and jewellers. Ahmedabad-based Havmore Ice Cream contributed ₹25,000 to the ruling party. Names of politicians also figured on the list, with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also contributing.
This disclosure does not include the funding received through electoral bonds. According to the election watchdog, Association for Democratic Reforms, electoral bonds worth ₹6,128 crore have been sold since the scheme was introduced in 2018 till October this year. In a report earlier this year, ADR said the BJP had received the majority of electoral bonds sold.
