BJP spent Rs 252 crore during poll campaign in 5 states this year, 60 per cent of it in Bengal

NEW DELHI: The BJP spent Rs 252 crore in the assembly elections held in Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala earlier this year with almost 60 per cent used for campaigning in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state.

According to the Election Expenditure Statement submitted to the poll panel, of the Rs 252,02,71,753 spent by the BJP, Rs 43.81 crore was for the Assam polls and Rs 4.79 crore for the Puducherry assembly election.

In Tamil Nadu, where the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) snatched power from its arch-rival AIADMK, the BJP, which got just 2.6 per cent of the votes, spent Rs 22.97 crore in its campaign.

The BJP pushed full throttle in its campaign against the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, spending Rs 151 crore in the state.

In Kerala, where the incumbent LDF retained power, the BJP spent Rs 29.24 crore.

The election expenditure statements submitted by the political parties to the Election Commission have been put in the public domain by the poll panel.

According to an expenditure statement submitted by the Trinamool Congress earlier, it spent Rs 154.28 crore for its campaign in the West Bengal Assembly election, marginally more than its main challenger BJP.