Team News Riveting
Raipur, February 19
The newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Chhattisgarh have spent on average Rs 27.11 lakh to win the state polls in November last.
Of the MLAs, Congress’ Anila Bhendia tops the list by incurring Rs 38.59 lakh while Congress lawmaker from Chandrapur Ramkumar Dewangan stands last in the row, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Chhattisgarh Election said in a report. The election watchdog analysed 88 out of 90 election expenditure statements submitted after the Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2023 for newly elected MLAs.
The expenditure limit for the MLAs during the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections was Rs 40 lakh. The election expense documents include details of expenses on public meetings and processions, campaigning through electronic and print media, expenses on campaign workers, expenses on vehicles used, expenses on virtual campaign, expenses on publishing of declaration regarding criminal cases and expenses on campaign materials.
The ADR report said out of 88 MLAs analysed, 10 (11 per cent) MLAs have declared election expenses less than 50 per cent of the expense limit in their constituency. Based on the election expense declarations of 88 MLAs from Chhattisgarh Assembly, the average amount of money spent by them in the elections is Rs 27.11 lakhs, which is 68 per cent of the expense limit, it added.
The party wise average election expenses shows that the average spending for 53 MLAs from BJP is Rs 28.48 lakh (71.2 per cent of the expense limit). For 34 MLAs from INC, the average election expenditure is Rs 25.34 lakh (63.4 per cent of the expense limit) and 1 Gondvana Gantantra Party MLA has spent Rs14.36 lakh (35.9 per cent of the expense limit).
Top 3 MLAs with highest election expenses included Anila Bhendia, Dipesg Sahu (BJP) and Dayaldas Baghel (BJP). MLAs with lowest election expenses included Ram Kumar Yadav (Rs 2.65 lakh), Sheshraj Harvansh (Rs 12.42 lakh) and Indra Kumar Sao (Rs 12.44 lakh). All three belongs to Congress.
Out of the 88 MLAs analyzed, 76 (86 per cent) MLAs have declared that they have spent funds on public meetings, processions etc. with star campaigners (other than those for general party propaganda) and 12 (14 per cent) MLAs have declared that they have not spent any funds on public meetings, processions etc. with star campaigners (other than those for general party propaganda).
