BJP’s main contributors include the Keventer group

Before the release of electoral bond data a few weeks ago, many people were unaware of Keventers, a company that sells milkshakes and ice cream, despite the fact that four of its affiliated companies had given more than Rs 600 crore.

The organization is one of the top 10 donors under the divisive election financing program. On Thursday, the Election Commission released the final electoral bond data, which included further information on the donors and alphanumeric data associated with the bonds. The Keventer Group, a real estate and dairy company located in Kolkata, has given Rs 616.92 crore via companies connected to it, including Keventer Food Park Infra, MKJ Enterprises, Sasmal Infrastructure, and Madanlal Limited. With Rs 382 crore from the group, or 57% of total contributions to the party, the ruling BJP is a big benefit.

The Keventers Group gave the Congress a donation of Rs 120 crore. According to EC records, contributions of Rs 7 crore were sent to the Aam Aadmi Party, Rs 10 crore to the Biju Janata Dal, BRS, and Samajwadi Party. Additionally, it has made donations to Shiromani Akali Dal and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. It is the third-largest donor to the All Indian Trinamool Congress, having given the party Rs 66 crore.

The corporation began contributing to the BJP via electoral bonds in 2019 after Keventer Agro, one of its companies, was investigated by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged disinvestment scams. The issue concerns the West Bengal government’s decision to transfer Keventer Agro, the only bidder in the process, a 47% share in Metro Dairy. Reports state that after purchasing anonymous poll bonds, ED raided the organization.

According to reports, the company sold 15% of its shares to Singapore-based private equity firm Mandala Capital for Rs 170 crore after the state government purportedly sold the interests to Keventer Agro for Rs 85 crore.