Electoral bonds: List of AAP's biggest donors; Kolkata-based firm tops funding

AAP got nearly Rs 65 crore via electoral bonds

The Election Commission has published the detailed list of electoral bonds data, including the alphanumeric numbers that can help link the donor to the recepient political party.

According to the data, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP got over Rs 65.4 crore through the electoral bonds scheme, which has now been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

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As many as 54 companies and individuals contributed to AAP between April 2019 and January 2024, of which 15 accounted for 88% of the total donations.

The list shows that the top 10 donors gave over Rs 52 crore to AAP.

Interestingly, Kolkata-based Avees Trading and Finance Pvt Ltd gave Rs 10 crore to AAP and was one of its biggest donors. It bought bonds worth Rs 112.5 crore and also gave to other parties such as Congress and TMC.

According to a report in The Times of India, the firm donated to political parties, including AAP, despite registering losses in FY20 and FY23.

The second biggest donor was automobile giant Bajaj Auto, which bought bonds worth Rs 8 crore for AAP.

Firms such as MKJ Enterprises Ltd, Torrent Power Limited and Transways Exim Private Limited each donated Rs 7 crore to AAP.

Punjab-based Asian Trading Corporation Limited donated Rs 5 crore while Kolkata-based distillery and bottling company IFB Agro Industries Limited donated Rs 4 crore, the list shows.

Bird Worldwide Flight Services (Rs 2 crore) and Avon Cycles Ltd (Rs 1.4 crore) were also among AAP's top donors.

Other notable firms that donated to AAP include Tech Mahindra, which gave Rs 1 crore and SpiceJet, which contributed Rs 70 lakh.

According to the data, shared by SBI and made public by EC on SC's directions, the BJP received nearly 48 per cent of all election bonds cashed by parties till March 2023, totalling to Rs 6,060 crore followed by parties like TMC (Rs 1,609 crore) and Congress (Rs 1,421 crore).