Party funding: Hyderabad-based GMR, Hetero group among top political donors

Hyderabad: Hetero Group owned by BRS Rajya Sabha MP Dr. B Partha Sarathi Reddy donated Rs 10 Crore to a political party in 2021-22. The timing of the donation is significant since it comes months after his company was raided for tax evasion.

Income Tax Department detected "unaccounted" income of Rs 550 crore and seized over Rs 142 crore cash. On October 6, 2021, the raids were carried out at 50 locations in six states. "Unaccounted income unearthed is estimated to be in the range of about Rs 550 crore till now," a statement from CBDT said.

NewsMeter accessed the contribution report of Prudent, one of India's richest electoral trusts. New Delhi-based Prudent (formerly Satya Electoral) based received a whopping Rs. 464,83,00,116 in political funding from corporates in 2021-22. Of which, Bharatiya Janata Party got lion's share of Rs 336.50 Cr.

Officially, 75 companies donated the money. Hyderabad-based GMR donated Rs 20 crore and became the 7th top political funder in India. GMR Airport Developers Limited the group operates Hyderabad, Goa, and Delhi International Airports. The donation was paid through three entities. GMR Hospitality and Retail limited paid Rs 7.5 crore, GMR Air cargo, and Aerospace Engineering limited donated Rs 2.5 crore, and Shamshabad International Airport paid Rs 10 crore.

Pertinently, GMR's political funding increased to Rs 20 crore in 2021-22 from Rs 1 crore in 2020-21, Among the Hetero Group, Hetero Drugs donated Rs 5 crore and Hetero Labs Limited donated Rs 5 crore.

Among the donors, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India Ltd contributed the highest of Rs 70 crore to electoral trusts, followed by Arcelor Mittal Design and Engg Centre Pvt Ltd Rs 60 Cr. Bharti Airtel Limited contributed Rs 51 cr to various Trusts. They bagged the Gold and silver spot. These companies are India's top political funders.

Who got the maximum contribution from Prudent:

Pertinently, Prudent has been one of BJP's biggest funders ever since it came to power in 2013-14. Compared to the 21 other trusts, Prudent received over 90% of corporate-to-political parties donations.

Prudent Electoral Trust donated Rs 336.50 Cr to BJP last fiscal against Rs 209 Cr in 2020-21. AB General Electoral Trust donated Rs 10 Cr to BJP in FY 2021-22.BJP received Rs 351.50 Cr or 72.17% of the total donations of all political parties from Electoral Trusts.

BRS received Rs 40 Cr or 8.21% of the total donations among all parties from all six Electoral Trusts. YSRCP in neighboring Andhra Pradesh received Rs 20 crore from the trust.

India's top political funders:

Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel India Limited Rs 70 Crore

Arcelor Mittal Design and Engg Centre Private limited Rs 60 Crore

Bharati Airtel Limited Rs 51 Crore

Serum Institute of India Rs 45 crore

DLF Luxury Rs 25 Cr

Magnus properties Rs 20 crore

GMR group Rs 20 crore

RPSG Ventures Rs 15 Crore

Jindal steel Rs 13 crore

Delhi Aviation Service private limited Rs 12 Crore