New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spent over 45% of the total campaign expenditure declared by the 22 political parties during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the four assembly elections (in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim) that were held simultaneously, according to a new study.
The Congress on the other hand spent about 40% less than the BJP, while three regional parties – the BJD, the YSRCP and the DMK-were the third, fourth and fifth highest spenders.
A fresh analysis based on data available on the Election Commission of India’s website about the funds raised and expenditure reports of 22 political parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha and the four assembly elections found that these parties spent a total of Rs 3,861.57 crores during the campaign period.
The study was conducted by analysing the full election expenditure statement submitted to the Election Commission of India.
The 22 parties include-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Indian National Congress (INC), Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)], Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)], Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).
Top spenders
The BJP made a total election expenditure of Rs 1,737.68 crores, i.e about 45% of the total campaign expenditure declared by the 22 political parties. Of this, the party spent Rs 41.01 crores on the four assembly elections while the remaining was spent on the Lok Sabha elections across all states.
The Congress on the other hand spent 39.20% less than the BJP by incurring an expenditure of Rs. 686.19 crores on its election campaign for the Lok Sabha and the four Vidhan Sabhas. However, the portion of the Congress’ expenditure for the four assembly elections is not known as the party submitted a consolidated set of accounts for the parliamentary and assembly elections held simultaneously, the study said.
The BJD, which contested only one state – both the assembly and the Lok Sabha elections – in Odisha, incurred the third highest expenditure by spending Rs 415.21 crores.
The YSRCP, which like the BJD in Odisha lost power in Andhra Pradesh, was the fourth highest spender in the elections, and incurred Rs 328.63 crores.
The DMK was the fifth highest spender, incurring Rs 161.07 crores followed by the TMC which spent Rs 147.68 crores.
Expenditure on media advertisement
The study said that media advertisements by the 22 political parties constituted the single largest expenditure during the elections. A total of Rs. 992.48 crores was spent by all 22 political parties on advertising through the print and electronic media, including cable TV, satellite-based TV channels and websites and buying bulk SMS’ for the purpose of voter outreach.
“However, the actual expenditure might be much higher because the detailed figures declared by BJP in Part-B of its expenditure report for the States of Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Maharashtra are not legible due to the pixelated nature of the scanned images uploaded on the ECI’s website,” the study said.
The data revealed that the BJP spent at least Rs 684.57 crores of reported expenditure on media advertisement. It said that in in Part-C of its expenditure report, the BJP declared incurring only Rs 58.45 lakhs on media advertisement but showed Rs 611.50 crores as media advertisement expenses incurred by the party headquarters in Part-A of the reporting format.
“So, we have collated the media advertisement expenses mentioned in Part-B formats filled up by the BJP for the States and UTs to arrive at the figure of ₹684.57 crores,” it said.
After the BJP, the YSRCP spent the most on media advertisement have declared Rs 87.36 crores as expenditure, followed by DMK with Rs 73.75 crores, the BJD which spent Rs 47.14 crores and the TMC which spent Rs 36.30 crores. The Congress reported spending Rs 12.09 crores.
BJD tops social media expenditure
In terms of social media expenditure, the BJD has topped by spending Rs 83.03 crores. This was followed by the DMK with a reported spend of Rs 50.26 crores, the Congress of Rs 47.69 crores and the JD(U) with Rs 7.43 crores. The BJP is the fifth highest spender on social media having declared Rs 6.94 crores on social media spending.
Top expenditure on travel of star campaigners and other party leaders
Expenditure on candidates constituted the second largest expense for these political parties after media advertisements.
The BJP spent at least Rs 389.24 crores on the travel of its star campaigners and Rs 12.26 crores on that of other party leaders, the study said but added that the figures are partial because the party’s expenditure under this category is not calculable for the States of Goa, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Maharashtra due to scanning of the hard copies has resulted in pixelated text on the ECI’s website.
“Nevertheless, despite these incomplete figures BJP’s accounts for more than 47% of the star campaigners’ travel expenditure collectively declared by the 22 political parties,” the study, conducted by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) said.
The study also said that the BJP’s top star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not figure in the expenditure list, as his air travel expenditure is presumed to have been borne by the Union Government.
After the BJP, the YSRCP spent the highest on the travel of star campaigners having reported spending Rs 241.42 crores followed by BSP with Rs 58.61 crores; the TMC reportedly Rs 46.25 crores and the BJD spending Rs 25.46 crores.
