BJP received 84% of top 10 individuals’ electoral bonds.
Top 10 donors purchased ₹180.2 crore electoral bonds from 2019-2024.
The top 10 individual donors collectively purchased electoral bonds amounting to ₹180.2 crore from April 12, 2019, to January 11, 2024. Among these contributions, ₹152.2 crore, accounting for 84.5%, was directed towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as per the latest data released by the Election Commission.
Following the BJP, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) received the second-largest share, with ₹16.2 crore (approximately 9%) of the total amount. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) secured the third position with ₹5 crore in donations.
ArcelorMittal’s chairperson, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, emerged as the top individual donor, purchasing bonds worth ₹35 crore, all of which were contributed to the BJP. Laxmi Das Vallabhdas Merchant, the second-highest individual donor, allocated his entire ₹25 crore contribution to the BJP in November 2023.
Among these top 10 donors, including Mittal, Merchant, KR Raja JT, Inder Thakurdas Jaisinghani, Rahul Jagannath Joshi, Harmesh Rahul Joshi, Raju Kumar Sharma, Saurabh Gupta, and Anita Hemant Shah, all directed their donations exclusively to the BJP. Merchant, whose LinkedIn profile identifies him as the Group Controller of Reliance Industries Ltd, has served in the company for over 33 years.
Inder Thakurdas Jaisinghani serves as the chairperson and managing director of Polycab India, the nation’s leading wires and cables manufacturer. The Joshi father-son duo hold directorial positions in various freight companies.
IndiGo’s Rahul Bhatia contributed ₹16.2 crore to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and ₹3.8 crore to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
In May 2019, IndiGo and its affiliates donated ₹31 crore to the BJP, and in April 2023, they contributed ₹5 crore to the Congress.
Rajesh Mannalal Agrawal, CEO of Ajanta Pharma, made donations totaling ₹13 crore: ₹5 crore each to the BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and ₹3 crore to the Congress. Additionally, Ajanta Pharma separately donated ₹3 crore to the BJP and ₹1 crore to the Congress.
Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, a notable individual donor, ranked 12th among the list of contributors. Shaw’s donations totaled ₹6 crore, with ₹4 crore directed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and ₹1 crore each to the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress.
Shaw, renowned for her role in the biotechnology industry, made significant contributions to multiple political parties. Her allocation of funds reflects a diverse approach, supporting both the BJP and opposition parties. This strategic distribution of donations suggests a nuanced engagement with India’s political landscape, aiming to contribute to various ideological and policy-oriented platforms.
Ranked just outside the top 10 donors, Shaw’s contributions underscore the substantial role played by individuals in shaping the financial backing of political parties. The transparency in electoral bond data sheds light on the varied interests and affiliations among notable figures in India’s corporate and political spheres.