politics

BJP Spent Over Half Its April-May Poll Funds in West Bengal, Filings Show

Published on: 24 Sep 2026, 01:48 PM

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared spending ₹286.99 crore on the West Bengal Assembly election, more than half of the ₹529.38 crore it reported for the April-May Assembly polls across four States and one Union Territory, according to expenditure statements filed with the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The Congress declared ₹248.55 crore for the same set of elections, which covered Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. Across these five contests, the BJP's declared expenditure was more than double that of the Congress. The figures are those submitted by the parties themselves and cover spending on general campaigning as well as on individual candidates and related expenses.

In West Bengal, where the BJP formed the government for the first time, ending the Trinamool Congress's tenure, the party reported ₹217.16 crore on general campaigning and ₹69.83 crore on candidates. It won 207 of the 293 seats for which results were declared. The Assembly has 294 seats, and the ECI ordered a repoll in the Falta constituency following allegations of serious electoral offences there.

The Congress spent ₹42.08 crore in West Bengal through its central headquarters and its State unit. This included ₹12.96 crore on general campaigning and ₹29.12 crore on candidates and related expenses. The party won two of the 293 seats contested.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which governed West Bengal for decades until 2011, declared an expenditure of ₹8.23 crore, including spending on candidates. It contested 197 seats and won one.

The Trinamool Congress, the BJP's principal rival in the State, has not made its expenditure statement public yet.

In Kerala, the Congress reported spending ₹105.34 crore, more than the BJP's ₹82.67 crore. Of the Congress total, ₹71.30 crore went towards general campaigning and ₹34.05 crore towards candidates and related expenses. The BJP declared ₹54.93 crore on general campaigning and ₹27.74 crore on candidates.

The CPI(M), a major force in Kerala, reported an expenditure of ₹28.60 crore by its State unit, comprising ₹26.30 crore on general campaigning and ₹2.31 crore on candidates.

The Congress-led alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly, 63 of them by the Congress alone, ending the term of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. The CPI(M) won 26 seats and the BJP three.

In the remaining contests, the BJP reported spending ₹96.27 crore in Assam, ₹51.56 crore in Tamil Nadu and ₹11.90 crore in Puducherry.

Political parties are required to file details of their election expenditure with the ECI. The statements give an account of what each party declared as spending on campaigning and on candidates, and the commission can seek clarification or act on discrepancies found in them.

Source: The Hindu

Latest in Politics 10

politics

CJP demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, warns of 'Jantar Mantar 2.0'

The Cockroach Janta Party has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that voter rights are being undermined, and warned of a nationwide agitation if he does not step down within 48 hours. The party has also sought a halt to upcoming elections, restoration of pre-SIR voter rolls, an independent inquiry into the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and repeal of the 2023 law on appointing election commissioners.

The Hindu 24 Sep 2026, 01:45 PM

politics

Quraishi Questions Legal Basis of SIR, Seeks Reversal of 'Unnecessary' Voter Roll Revision

Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has questioned the necessity and legal basis of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and called for the decisions to be reversed. The Election Commission defends the exercise as a way to remove dead, duplicate and shifted entries, while critics say proof requirements could exclude eligible voters. Courts are hearing petitions that will shape how the process proceeds in other States.

The Hindu 24 Sep 2026, 04:52 AM

politics

Rahul Gandhi Calls Parents of IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode, Assures Help in Seeking Justice

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, assuring them of support in their fight for justice. The parents plan to begin an indefinite hunger strike on Thursday. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the death, which occurred after Sahil was allegedly caught using ChatGPT during an exam.

The Hindu 24 Sep 2026, 05:08 AM

politics

Opposition seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar's removal after report of 14 EC objections

Opposition parties have demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after a report said two Election Commissioners recorded at least 14 formal objections in ten months over decisions taken without their knowledge. The Election Commission has rejected the framing, saying its actions followed the law and that internal notes show only one part of the picture. The CJP has cancelled Thursday's programmes and will address a Delhi press conference on the issue.

The Hindu 24 Sep 2026, 05:21 AM

politics

Poll panel dissent row: CJP pauses campaigns, turns focus to Election Commission reforms

The Cockroach Janta Party has paused its scheduled programmes and said it will take up reforms in the Election Commission of India, alleging that its campaigns on schools, jobs and infrastructure are meaningless if the right to vote is not protected. The move follows media reports that two Election Commissioners formally objected at least 14 times in ten months to decisions taken during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, even as the Commission's sources maintain that all such decisions were unanimous.

The Hindu 24 Sep 2026, 02:06 AM

politics

Mamata seeks arrest of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, demands fresh West Bengal polls

Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee has demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and fresh Assembly elections in West Bengal, alleging votes were stolen in the recent polls. Her remarks follow a media report that two Election Commissioners red-flagged issues during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has sought a court-monitored probe.

The Hindu 23 Sep 2026, 03:51 PM

politics

ECI pushes back on dissent reports, says internal notes show only 'one part of the picture'

The Election Commission of India has said its decisions have followed the law and that reports highlighting selected internal notes give only 'one part of the picture', after a newspaper claimed two Election Commissioners recorded objections at least 14 times in 10 months. The Commission said written notes and differing views are a normal part of deliberation in a multi-member body, and cited around 40 new initiatives as evidence of unanimous decision-making.

The Hindu 23 Sep 2026, 03:53 PM

politics

Nagaon bypoll: BJP, Congress workers clash for second day as Assam campaign heats up

Campaigning for the October 6 Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election saw a second day of clashes between BJP and Congress workers, with a Congress MLA's vehicle blocked in Morigaon district on Tuesday. The Congress has alleged that its leaders were attacked at Samaguri a day earlier, while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described that incident as a dispute between rival factions within the Congress.

The Hindu 22 Sep 2026, 01:44 PM

politics

JD(S) alleges Karnataka RTOs rely on agents and retired staff, demands accountability

The Janata Dal (Secular) has alleged that Karnataka's Regional Transport Offices are allowing retired employees and private agents to handle official work, and that online services such as VAHAN-4 and Sarathi-4 are being sidelined. The party cited a written reply in the Legislative Assembly and questioned the government's response to corruption cases registered after Lokayukta raids. The Congress-led State government has not publicly responded to the allegations.

The Hindu 22 Sep 2026, 01:44 PM

politics

Trump's ban on CNN, MSNOW and Politico heads to court as experts question its legality

US President Donald Trump's decision to bar CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House is being challenged in federal court, with the three outlets calling it unlawful retaliation for protected speech. Legal experts say the ban is likely to founder on the long-established principle that government cannot grant press access on the condition of favourable coverage.

The Hindu 22 Sep 2026, 01:54 PM

→ View All Politics News