NEW DELHI, Sept 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party spent over ₹ 340 crore in the assembly polls for its campaigning in five states held earlier this year as against Rs 194 crores spent by the Congress in these states, according to the election expenditure reports of the two parties.
According to the report filed by the BJP and put in public domain by the Election Commission of India on Thursday, the party spent more than ₹ 340 crore on its campaigns for the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab assembly elections held early this year.
The BJP’s spending report showed that it spent over ₹ 221 crore in Uttar Pradesh, over ₹ 23 crore in Manipur, ₹ 43.67 crore in Uttarakhand, more than ₹ 36 crore in Punjab and ₹ 19 crore in Goa.
According to the report filed by the Congress, it spent over ₹ 194 crore for campaigning and related expenditure in the five states. The BJP and Congress are recognised national parties.
Parties contesting Lok Sabha and assembly polls are mandated to file their election expenditure reports before the EC in a stipulated time frame.
(Manas Dasgupta)