Boko MLA Nandita Das top spender in 2016 Assam polls; Sonowal tops ministers' list

GUWAHATI: Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal led the election expense among ministers, while Boko MLA Nandita Das topped among all the 126 MLAs in the 2016 Assam assembly elections.

Sonowal, who spent about Rs 25.26 lakh, which was 90 per cent of the permissible limit, had contested as a BJP candidate from Majuli (ST) constituency in a by-election.

He was followed by agriculture minister Atul Bora of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) from Bokakhat constituency with an expense of Rs 22.44 lakh, which was 80 per cent of the expense limit set by Election Commission of India.

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The data have been published on the basis of analysis of 11 ministers’ declarations by the Assam Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The expenditure limit for the candidates during the Assam assembly elections 2016 was Rs 28 lakh.

BJP poster boy of 2021 elections Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had contested from Jalukbari constituency, was the third highest spender with an expense of Rs 22.09 lakh which was 79 per cent of the limit.

Few MLAs have, however, declared they spent more the ministers to win the elections. The maximum expense of about Rs 27.29 lakh (97 per cent of the expense limit) has been declared spent by Boko(SC) Congress MLA Nandita Das  followed by Chaygaon Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed with an expense of Rs 26.47 lakh (95 per cent of the expense limit) and Utpal Borah of BJP from Gohpur constituency with an expense of Rs 25.88 lakh (92per cent of the expense limit).

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At least three ministers have declared election expenses of less than 50 per cent of the expense limit in their constituencies. All of them had declared having spend around 7.5 lakh each, which was about 27 per cent of permissible limit.

Rihon Daimari of Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) from Udalguri (ST) constituency has declared an election expenditure of Rs 10.75 lakh (38 per cent of the expense limit). He is followed by Parimal Suklabaidya of BJP from Dholai (SC) constituency who has declared election expenditure of Rs 11.25 lakh (40 per cent of the expense limit) and Pallab Lochan Das of BJP from Rangapara constituency with election expenses of Rs 13.08 lakh (47per cent of the expense limit).

Among the MLAs, Nijanur Rahman of AIUDF from Gauripur constituency has declared election expenditure of Rs 3.81 lakh followed by Ananta Kumar Malo of AIUDF from Abhayapuri South (SC) constituency with expenses of Rs 4.8 lakh and Suzamuddin Laskar of AIUDF from Katlichera constituency with expenses of Rs 5.11 lakh.

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All the 11 ministers analysed, have declared expenses on public meetings, processions etc with star campaigners. However, 33 (26 per cent) of the MLAs analysed have declared that they have not spent any amount on public meetings, processions etc with star campaigners.

Eight ministers have declared that they have not spent any amount on campaigning through electronic or print media.

When all the ministers have declared expenses on vehicles used during electioneering, industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary of the BJP from Dharmapur constituency declared the lowest amount of Rs 38,500 on vehicles.