CPI received Rs 1.47 cr during LS, 4 assembly polls for campaigning

The Communist Party of India received over Rs 1.47 crore as contributions during the Lok Sabha and assembly elections held between April and May this year, and spent a little over Rs 62 lakh for campaigning, according to the details submitted by the party before the poll panel. The CPI document, however does not reflect the Rs 15 crore it received as donation from the DMK for the polls.

"The amount was transferred to the bank after the end of the financial year. It will be reflected next year once the state council submits the report," party general secretary D Raja told PTI. He was asked why the amount was not reflected in the financial statement submitted to the poll panel.

On March 10 this year, seven-phase Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim were announced. The polls were held between April 11 and May 19 and the counting was held on May 23. According to the document signed by Raja, the party's total receipts during the election period were Rs 1,47,37,747, including Rs 3,56,668 in cash and Rs 1,43,81,079 through cheques.

The expenditure on campaigning by the party central headquarters was Rs 62,28,509. This included Rs 3,38,403 in cash and another Rs 58,90,106 by cheque payments. The Congress collected over Rs 856 crore during the period of Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the four states for campaigning and spent a little over Rs 820 crore. The ruling BJP is yet to submit its Lok Sabha expense statement to the Election Commission. It had pumped in Rs 714 crore in the 2014 parliamentary elections.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returned to power with a bigger mandate in the polls.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)