BJP got donations of ₹750 Cr in 2019-20, five times higher than Congress

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to maintain its top position for the seventh year in a row in terms of receiving the maximum amount of corporate and individual donations. In its report submitted to the Election Commission (EC), the party has said that in 2019-20, the party has received a donation of Rs 750 crore from companies and individuals. This is five times more than what the Congress party got (Rs 139 crore). On the other hand, NCP has received Rs 59 crore, TMC Rs 8 crore, CPIM Rs 19.6 crore and CPI Rs 1.9 crore in the same period.

According to a report, BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar's Jupiter Capital (₹15 crore), the ITC group (₹76 crore), real estate companies like Macrotech Developers and BG Shirke Construction Technology (₹35 crore), the Prudent Electoral Trust (₹217.75 crore) and Jankalyan Electoral Trust (₹45.95 crore) had contributed the most to the saffron party’s election funds.

Apart from business houses, the BJP has also received a sizeable amount of donation from education institutions and its own MPs and MLAs. As many as 14 educational institutions have contributed to the party’s election fund including Mewar University (₹2 crore), Krishna Institute of Engineering (₹10 lakh), Surat-based GD Goenka International School (₹2.5 lakh) and Pathania Public School, Rohtak (₹2.5 lakh).

Among leaders, Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar has made the highest donation of ₹2 crore to the party. Other contributors are Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lala Khattar (₹5 lakh), his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu (₹1.1 crore) and actor-turned-politician Kirron Kher (₹6.8 lakh).

BJP, however, is yet to submit its annual audit to show income from electoral bonds, the deadline for which ends on June 30.