Parties raised ₹355 cr, but shelled out ₹ 573 cr
Political parties shelled out more money than they collected during assembly elections in five states last year, spending more than ₹ 573 crore although they had raised only Rs 355 crore, says a report.
The figures are cumulative for national and regional parties put together during the polls to the assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
"Total funds collected by the national parties during the five state assembly elections held in 2016 was Rs 287.89 crore and total expenditure incurred was ₹ 188.12 crore," a report by think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said.
Regional parties collected a total of ₹ 67.22 crore and incurred an expenditure of ₹213.97 crore, it added.
"Many political parties, while declaring their election expenditure in cash/cheque, have not included the expenditure incurred by them on their candidates. Hence, the difference in the total expenditure by the parties in cash/cheque (Rs 402.09 crore) and that under various heads (Rs 573.24 crore)," it said.
National and regional parties spent a total of Rs 573.24 crore during assembly elections 2016, including on publicity, travel expenses, other expenses and the lumpsum amount paid to candidates.
Among the national parties, BJP collected the maximum funds of ₹131.72 crore which formed 45.75 per cent of the total funds collected by the 6 national parties at the central and state levels for the five state assembly elections, the report by ADR said.
Out of total expenditure of Rs 112.14 crore, BJP incurred the maximum expenditure of Rs 84.36 crore at the central level. At the state level, maximum expenditure was incurred by the Kerala state unit (Rs 14.11 crore) followed by West Bengal (Rs 5.70 crore) and Assam (Rs 4.03 crore).
Congress spent the second highest amount of ₹ 41.49 crore, of which Rs 14.57 crore or 35.12 per cent of the total expenditure was at the central level and second highest at the West Bengal state unit (Rs 10.63 crore), followed by Assam state unit (Rs 10.02 crore), an analysis by ADR showed.
