The 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India are set to be the most expensive ever.
It’s estimated that a whopping Rs 1.35 lakh crore will be spent, which is more than double the amount spent in 2019.
In 2019, out of the 60 thousand crores spent, 45% was spent by BJP.
This money covers everything related to the elections, including what political parties, candidates, the government, and the Election Commission spend.
The ruling BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a big player in these elections. They’re spending a lot on campaigns, no matter which platforms they’re using.
The early figures were estimated to be around 1.12 Lakh crores but the figure has been hiked to 1.35 lakh crores because of things like electoral bond disclosures. This figure surpasses even the expenditure of the 2020 US elections.
Money comes into the election process in lots of ways, not just through electoral bonds.
But there’s a problem with transparency in how political funding works.
A big chunk of the money given to major political parties over the years has come from sources that haven’t been disclosed.
Around 30% of the money spent on elections goes towards media campaigns, like TV ads and social media. Even though we mostly see spending during the 45-day campaign period, the real total spending is much higher.
Notably, money is becoming more important than political beliefs in Indian elections.
Digital campaigning, especially, is getting a lot of attention. Political parties are hiring professional agencies to help them with their online campaigns. They’re treating politics a bit like a business, trying to make sure people remember their brand.
