Donations To Regional Parties In 2021-22: Odisha’s BJD Nil, BRS Got Highest

Bhubaneswar: Twenty-six regional political parties have received 5,100 donations worth Rs 189.801 crore during 2021-22, as per a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

However, no donations have been declared by Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as well as AIADMK, NDPP, SDF, AIFB, PMK and JKNC for the financial year 2021-22, it said.

The ADR report on “Analysis of Donations Received By Regional Political Parties – FY 2021-22” further stated that BJD, NDPP and JKNC have not declared any donations above Rs 20,000 during FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22.

Reacting to BJD not declaring any donations, senior Congress leader and MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said the Naveen Patnaiki-led party should declare the contributions received by it instead of hiding it.

Another Congress leader and MLA Adhiraj Panigrahi said he considers BJD as one of the richest political parties in the world.

Both Saluja and Panigrahi alleged that BJD is hiding the contributions received by it to avoid trouble as it is black money. They said BJD should come clean in a transparent way and reveal everything.

The report focused on donations declared by regional political parties, during 2021-22, as submitted by the parties to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (earlier Telangana Rashtra Samithi) with Rs 41 crore donations tops the list of regional parties which received the highest donation in the financial year 2021-22.

Under the Representation of the People Act, all political parties have to file a report providing details of contributions over 20,000 from any person in a particular financial year to avail 100 per cent tax exemption.

The top five parties which declared the highest donations in the financial year 2021-22 were BRS, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress.

Out of these parties, BRS, AAP, SP and YSRC declared an increase in their donations, while JD(U) declared a decrease in the donations in comparison to the financial year 2020-21, the report added.