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 elections and the assembly polls 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.

On March 10 this year, seven-phase Lok Saba and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim were announced. The elections were held between April 11 and May 19 and the counting was held on May 23.

According to the document signed by CPI General Secretary D 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.