The Telangana Assembly elections were indeed costly for the main candidates — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress — according to expenditure reports submitted by the three parties to the Election Commission of India.
As expected, the BRS spent the highest amount of Rs 1.75 billion on election-related campaigns, followed by the BJP at Rs 1.17 billion. The Indian National Congress, which came to power with a majority, spent Rs 980 million.
According to its expenditure report, the BRS spent Rs 1,751.9 million, including Rs 467 million paid to candidates at the rate of Rs 400,000 each and a massive Rs 930 million spent on advertising. Of the total, the party said Rs 719.8 million was spent on election campaigning and advertising in various media, while a further Rs 214.1 million was spent on promotional materials such as banners and signboards.
The party spent Rs 3.54 crore on the visit of its star campaigner, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, most of it by helicopter.The total criminal record of the candidate as reported in the media is Rs 67.11 crore. In addition, he has spent Rs 295 crore on public meetings, rallies and similar gatherings.
The BJP, on the other hand, submitted a total expenditure of Rs 1,171.2 crore, including candidate expenses of Rs 358.3 crore, at the rate of Rs 3 crore per candidate. Expenditure on visits of star campaigners led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union Ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah, came to Rs 138.9 crore.
The BJP spent Rs 335 crore on print, electronic and social media advertisements and Rs 462 crore on promotional material. The party claimed to have spent Rs 319.6 crore on publicity such as public meetings. It also spent Rs 12.2 crore on declaring criminal records of candidates.
According to the All India Congress Committee filing, the party spent Rs 981 crore, of which Rs 522 crore was on advertising and social media campaigns. Meanwhile, candidates were given Rs 3 crore each, totalling Rs 354 crore. Telangana PCC president Revanth Reddy’s election campaign expenditure was Rs 180 crore, while tours for Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra and BJP chief Mallikarjun Kharge cost Rs 194 crore. Additionally, the Congress said it spent Rs 889.4 crore on sending mass SMS to voters.
The expenditure reports submitted by the three parties also included costs for hosting dinners for candidates, handing out cash to voters and other inducements in the form of prizes and giveaways.
This is a premium article available only to subscribers. To read over 250 premium articles every month,
You’ve reached your limit for free articles. Support quality journalism.
You’ve reached your limit for free articles. Support quality journalism.
You have read {{data.cm.views}} from {{data.cm.maxViews}} Free articles.
This is the last free article.
