Half of candidates contested polls in less than Rs 1L

Jaipur: It may surprise many but it is true that in this era of inflation, 1,076 out of 2,274 candidates who tried their political luck in the 2018 assembly elections in the state contested the elections by spending less than Rs 1 lakh.

The details of expenditure filed by the candidates with the Election Commission revealed that in the 2018 election campaign, 2,227 candidates spent an amount of Rs 83 crore 24 lakh on publicity, tea and snacks.

There were 47 candidates who did not submit the details of their expenses to the Commission after the elections.

1,076 candidates contested the elections by spending less than Rs 1 lakh, in the midst of rising inflation. The Election Commission’s expenditure reports revealed that out of 2,274 candidates, these 1,076 candidates ran their campaigns on a frugal budget.

Among those who exceeded the budget, 48 candidates spent over Rs 20 lakh, with six from Jaipur and four from Sriganganagar. Furthermore, three candidates each from Banswara, Sirohi, and Bhilwara also crossed the Rs 20 lakh mark in election expenses.

A total of 254 candidates spent between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, while 259 candidates spent between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. Additionally, 277 candidates allocated Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for their election campaigns and refreshments.