BJP spent Rs 287 crore in Bengal polls, over half its five-state election bill

Bengal BJP spending on polls

NEW DELHI: BJP spent Rs 287 crore on its campaign and candidates during the April 2026 polls in West Bengal, which accounted for more than 54% of its total expenditure of Rs 529 crore in five assembly elections earlier this year, according to statements filed with EC.Besides Bengal, polls were held in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.BJP trumped the governing TMC in Bengal, bagging 207 of the 293 seats while Trinamool managed 80.Congress, which contested all 293 seats in Bengal, spent Rs 42 crore, according to election expenditure reports submitted before EC. It won two seats in Bengal. CPM won only one seat, and incurred expenditure of Rs 8 crore in Bengal. TMC is yet to submit its report to EC.In Keralam, Congress spent Rs 105 crore and won 63 seats, ousting the CPM-led front which managed only 26. BJP won three seats despite high-pitch campaigning and an expenditure of Rs 83 crore. CPM spent Rs 29 crore in Keralam.Congress reported spending Rs 249 crore across all five elections, against CPM's consolidated expenditure of Rs 39 crore. BJP reported spending Rs 96 crore in Assam, Rs 52 crore in Tamil Nadu and Rs 12 crore in Puducherry, besides its outlays in Bengal and Kerala.

Earlier, BJP in its expenditure and income report showed party's central headquarters received Rs 1,473 crore during the election period, while Congress reported Rs 207 crore in receipts across its headquarters and five state units.BJP's central office alone ended the election period with Rs 7,627 crore, up from Rs 6,722.60 crore when polls were announced. Congress's combined balance across its headquarters and five state units fell from Rs 169 crore to Rs 103 crore in the same period.