Winning MPs spent an average of Rs 57 lakh on campaign in Lok Sabha polls: EC

New Delhi: A winning candidate spent an average Rs 57.23 lakh for campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Meanwhile, 15 MPs spent over Rs 91.75 lakh with Congress’ Shashi Tharoor spending Rs 94.89 lakh and topping the list that also includes Rahul Gandhi and three Karnataka MPs – Sunil Bose, BY Raghavendra and E Tukaram. The findings were made public by the Election Commission in General Elections to Lok Sabha 2024: An Atlas released on Wednesday.

In contrast, Trinamool Congress’ Jaynagar MP Pratima Mondal declared that she has spent only Rs 12,500 when the spending limit for a candidate is set at Rs 95 lakh. However, there is no limit to the expenditure a party can incur on election campaigns.

Among the candidates, Tharoor is followed by Congress MP Bose (Chamarajnagar) who spent Rs 94.88 crore. BJP’s Raghavendra from Shimoga (Rs 93.26 lakh) and Congress’ Bellary MP Tukaram (Rs 91.83 lakh) find space in the list of 15 MPs with the highest campaign expenditure.

Rahul Gandhi’s campaign expenditure in Wayanad, which he resigned later as he won from Rae Bareli, is pegged at Rs 92.82 lakh. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut spent Rs 94.29 lakh.

Among those who spent less money included Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who spent Rs 2.10 lakh. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who spent Rs 20.67 lakh, is also among the 15 candidates with the lowest expenditure.

The 543 winning candidates appear to have spent around Rs 310.77 crore in their campaign while all candidates together spent Rs 862.68 crore. The EC report showed that Himachal Pradesh had the highest average of spending among winners at Rs 85.46 lakh.

Among the southern states, Karnataka has the highest average campaign spending by winners at Rs 78.13 lakh followed by Tamil Nadu at Rs 74.54 lakh and Kerala at Rs 73.87 lakh. Haryana (Rs 77.22 lakh) and West Bengal (Rs 73.23 lakh) are other states where winning candidates spent more while 80 UP MPs spent an average of Rs 57.30 lakh each.

According to the EC data, Punjab’s Faridkot saw the highest spending per voter at Rs 26.34 while the lowest spending per voter was Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao at Rs 2.14. In Faridkot, candidates together spent 4.19 crore while in Unnao it was Rs 50.17 lakh.