EC Filings Show BJP Received Rs 1,473 Crore During Last 5 State Polls, Over 7 Times More Than Congress

BJP Receipts Cross Rs 1,473 Crore During State Polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received nearly Rs 1,473 crore at its central headquarters during the last five state Assembly elections, according to expenditure statements filed with the Election Commission (EC).

The figure is more than seven times the Rs 207.17 crore in net receipts reported by the Congress across its central and state units during the same election period. The figures relate to the elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.

The disclosures cover the period from March 15 to May 6, when the five states and the Union Territory went through their respective Assembly elections.

BJP's Rs 1,472.8 Crore Figure Covers Central Headquarters

The BJP's reported receipts stood at approximately Rs 1,472.8 crore. Importantly, this figure represents receipts recorded at the party's central headquarters alone.

The BJP's expenditure reports for the Kerala and West Bengal elections had not yet been made public when the report was published. As a result, the party's eventual consolidated receipts for all five elections could be higher.

This distinction is important when comparing the two parties because the Congress figure cited in the filings covers its central and state units, while the BJP's Rs 1,472.8 crore figure is for its central headquarters.

Congress Reports Rs 207.17 Crore in Net Receipts

The Congress reported net receipts of Rs 207.17 crore during the March 15-May 6 election period.

At the same time, the party reported expenditure of approximately Rs 248.55 crore, meaning its expenditure exceeded its net receipts during the period.

The figures cover the Congress's consolidated financial position for the five electoral contests in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry.

BJP Central Balance Rose by Rs 904.6 Crore

The EC filings also indicate a substantial increase in the BJP's closing balance during the election period.

The BJP's central headquarters had a closing balance of approximately Rs 7,627.2 crore on May 6, compared with Rs 6,722.6 crore on March 15. This represents an increase of about Rs 904.6 crore during the period.

The data highlight the considerably larger financial resources available to the BJP during the election period.

BJP Spent Rs 159.7 Crore in Three Polls

According to the filings, the BJP reported spending approximately Rs 159.7 crore on elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Of this amount, the party spent around Rs 96.3 crore in Assam, according to the expenditure statements.

The expenditure figures for the remaining elections are subject to further disclosures as the relevant reports become publicly available.

Why the EC Filings Matter

Political parties are required to submit expenditure statements and other financial disclosures to the Election Commission as part of the electoral process. Such filings provide insight into the financial resources available to parties during elections.

The latest data show a substantial difference between the receipts reported by the BJP and Congress during the five state polls. However, the comparison needs to be read carefully because the two figures are based on different organisational reporting scopes: the BJP's figure is for its central headquarters, while Congress's reported figure includes its central and state units.

BJP-Congress Financial Gap in Focus

The disclosures have brought renewed attention to the significant financial gap between India's two major national political parties.

With the BJP's central headquarters reporting nearly Rs 1,473 crore in receipts during the period, compared with Rs 207.17 crore in net receipts reported by Congress, the difference is more than sevenfold.

The final picture of the BJP's total receipts for the five elections could become clearer once its pending Kerala and West Bengal expenditure statements are made public