Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. (File)
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) received a contribution of Rs 60 crore during the 2024-25 financial year with global natural resources conglomerate Vedanta Limited emerging to be the highest donor to the regional party.
The BJD received Rs 25 crore from Vedanta Limited while another Rs 35 crore came through three electoral trusts, revealed the contribution report submitted by the party to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Form 24A. The data only showed contributions above Rs 20,000.
The earnings through contributions furnished by the regional party is in the first year after the Supreme Court scrapped the government’s anonymous political funding scheme through electoral bonds.
In the previous two financial years, 2023-24 and 2022-23, the BJD showed nil income through contributions above Rs 20,000. On the other hand, the party’s income through electoral bonds was pegged at a total of Rs 775 crore for the two financial years, according to an ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms) report.
The contribution report by the BJD also revealed that the party received Rs 60 crore during April-May 2024, when the general and assembly elections were conducted in the state. As per the report, the party received no funds above Rs 20,000 after it lost the elections in Odisha.
When contacted, party treasurer Subhash Singh said the BJD is a stable outfit and hence, companies and trusts came forward to make their donations. “The entire amount we got during the 2024-25 financial year is for the April-May period, when the Assembly and general elections were going on. We didn’t get anything after the polls as we don’t require funds at present. We generally require money during elections and we seek donations for the party,” Singh told The Indian Express.
Vedanta Limited, which has invested a sizable amount in Odisha in the aluminium and mining sector has also contributed a significant Rs 67 crore to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during 2024-25. Even as the BJP assumed power in Odisha in June 2024, there has been no clarity on contribution made by the Anil Agarwal-led company to the party’s Odisha unit. Similarly, Vedanta has not contributed any amount to the Congress.
As per company sources, Vedanta has already invested around Rs 1 lakh crore to set up its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district and a smelter at Jharsuguda. The company has received approval of the Odisha government to set up an aluminium smelter and a captive power plant in Dhenkanal district with an investment of Rs 1.28 lakh crore. It has also acquired, through auctions, the Sijimali mines which is one of the largest deposits of bauxite in the country.