There is a lot of discussion going on in the country at present regarding electoral bonds. The Supreme Court also reprimanded the country's largest bank State Bank of India (SBI) for not giving information about electoral bonds to the Election Commission. Many companies funded the country's parties through electoral bonds, information about which is now coming to light. These companies also include Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the most successful team of the Indian Premier League (IPL). A report has claimed that India's most successful captain MS Dhoni's IPL team CSK had also funded it.
CSK donates to political party
The major reason for CSK coming into the limelight before the start of IPL 2024 is the electoral bond. According to a report, a company named 'Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited' donated to the 'All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party in Tamil Nadu. Let us tell you that the parent organization of this company is India Cement, whose owner is N Srinivasan.
Total Rs. Fund of 6.05 crores
The report further states that Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited has donated a total of Rs. 10,000 to AIADMK through electoral bonds. Rs 6.05 crore was given. About 90 percent of that money came from CSK Cricket Limited (director of India Cements Limited). It is being told that in the year 2019, Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited had given funding of Rs 5 crore to AIADMK in two days. This money was given between 2nd and 4th April.
The party has received political donations of Rs 1 crore from Coimbatore-based Lakshmi Machine Works Limited and Rs 5 lakh from Chennai-based Gopalan Srinivasan. However, the party itself disclosed its donations twice. In 2019, the then coordinator O. Panneerselvam and then general secretary Edappadi K. in 2023. Palaniswami said about this.