By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:
Out of the total Rs 775.50 crore in electoral bonds from 42 donors redeemed by Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal in Odisha, from April 12, 2019, to January 2024, 9 of the top 10 donors were mining and Steel companies.
Essel Mining and Industries Ltd gave Rs 174.5 crore. Other Aditya Birla Group companies, Utkal Alumina International Ltd Company and Grasim Industries, gave the BJD Rs 70 crore and Rs 10 crore, respectively. Jindal Steel and Power was the BJD’s second-biggest donor with Rs 100 crore.
The top 10 donors also included, S N Mohanty group Rs 45 crore, Rashmi Cement Rs 45 crore), Vedanta Ltd (Rs 40 crore), Penguin Trading and Agencies Ltd Rs 30.5 crore. Jindal Stainless, gave Rs 30 crore, and Rashmi Metaliks, a Rashmi Group company gave Rs 27 crore.
SN Mohanty Group gave at least Rs 45 crore to BJD. Vedanta Group has given Rs 32 crore to BJD.
Among others, Odisha based mining companies KJS Ahluwalia Rs 4 crore, Indrani Patnaik Rs 3 crore and Sarosh Alizah Rs 2.5 crore, MKJ Enterprises Rs 10 crore and DS Engineering Rs 5 crore.
