The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the highest spender in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, accounting for nearly 45% of the total declared election expenditure by national political parties, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Thursday.
Based on the audited income and expenditure statements submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the ADR report reveals that the BJP alone spent over ₹2,100 crore, out of the total ₹4,700 crore declared by all national parties. The report highlights a continued trend of financial dominance by the ruling party, raising concerns about the increasing cost of electoral contests and the growing role of money in Indian politics.
The report covers the financial disclosures of major national parties including the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), and National People’s Party (NPP).
The ADR analysis shows that a significant portion of the BJP’s spending was directed towards media publicity, including print, electronic, and social media campaigns. Travel and logistics, particularly by star campaigners and key leaders, formed another major chunk.
