Revealed: Election expenses of 2019 Lok Sabha candidates in 2014 polls

Guwahati, March 23, 2019:

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which works under the National Election Watch (NEW) has released a list of the expenditure of candidates during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Assam. We will list the names who will be contesting the elections this year or are likely to do so and how much they spent during the last election campaign in 2014.

Current Kaliabar MP Gaurav Gogoi is at number one on the list as he has a declared expenditure of Rs. 82,40,641. Gogoi has filed his nomination on Friday and is all set to contest for the seat again.

A special mention, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal was also not far behind. The current CM, who contested from Lakhimpur Constituency, spent a total of Rs 53,56,168 during the last Lok Sabha election while Congress’ Biren Singh Engti spent a total of Rs 52,74,552 during the election campaign.

Perfume baron and AIUDF Chief, Badruddin Ajmal, meanwhile, spent Rs 47,49,974 during the election and Ajmal was closely followed by Silchar MP Sushmita Dev who spent an amount of Rs 46,48,919.

Radheshyam Biswas, who won the election representing the Karimganj Lok Sabha Constituency, spent Rs 37,08,496 during his campaign.

Rameshwar Teli, the MP from Dibrugarh who is all set to contest the elections again in 2019, spent Rs 21,21,814 in the campaign during the run-up to the elections.

Korkrajhar’s independent MP Naba Kr. Sarania is last on the list as he spent ‘only’ Rs 14,91,662 during the campaign.

If these spending trends are any indication, we are all set for yet another mega spending session before the Lok Sabha polls as the high-voltage Lok Sabha election is all set to be held in Assam in three phases – on April 11, 18, and 23.