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With assets worth Rs 128 crore, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is the eighth richest regional political party in the country. A report recently published by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) claims so.
The ADR, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the areas of electoral and political reforms in the country, has recently published its analysis, in the form of a report, on the total assets declared by the regional and national political parties during FY 2019-20.
As per the report, among the top ten regional parties in the country, the BJD is on eighth position with its fixed deposits in banks totalling Rs 118.42 crore. And the party’s total assets is Rs 128,00,00,752.
Among the regional parties, the Samajwadi Party is the richest.
Among the national political parties, in terms with fixed deposits, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is at the top of the list. Its fixed deposits stand at Rs3,253 crore, followed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (Rs618.86 crore). The grand old party, Congress’s fixed deposits is worth Rs 240.9 crore.
Among the seven richest national political parties, the BJP is at the top of the list by declaring its total assets worth Rs4,847.78 crore.
When contacted, senior Congress leader and Jatni MLA Suresh Routray wondered how the political parties are growing richer. “The 140-year-old party (Congress) has assets worth Rs 200 crore whereas Naveen Babu’s party BJD has assets worth Rs119 crore,” Routray remarked with his trademark sarcasm.
In a veiled reference to the BJP’s assets, the veteran leader said, “That is public money”. “The crores have been accumulated by selling oil, mines and aerodrome. It is very pathetic. These political parties will gobble up the whole nation,” said Routray wryly.
General secretary of Odisha unit of the BJP, Prithviraj Harichandan was quick to hit back at the Congress leader, saying there shouldn’t be any politics at all about the party’s financial health. “If the party has achieved an enviable financial growth it is only because of the generous donations made by industrialists and businessmen. They are doing it voluntarily. The party is also receiving on-line micro donations,” Harichandan said.
