Rajamahendravaram: Candidates throw EC norms to wind

Rajamahendravaram : Despite Election Commission norms, surveillance and auditing, the issue of election expenses running into crores of rupees in each constituency is being openly discussed after the elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) prescribed the expenditure limit of Rs 95 lakh for each Lok Sabha candidate and Rs 40 lakh for Assembly candidate. However, in reality, each Assembly candidate spends between Rs 25 crore to Rs 50 crore while the figure is Rs 60 to 70 crore for each Lok Sabha candidate.

According to sources, election expenses of the candidates in the 2024 general elections in the erstwhile Godavari districts have doubled as compared to 2019. It is said even traditionally rich people are now find it difficult to survive in politics which has become a high cost business.

Ravichandra, a contract employee in APEPDCL, says politics has become alienated not only to the common people and middle class but also to the upper-income groups. “It has now become a game only for billionaires,” he says.

A housewife V Sai Lakshmi opined that leaders who spend crores only think about how to earn them back with profit and do not serve public.

In this election, it was seen that the political parties took only financial capacity as the criterion while allotting tickets to candidates. Even in SC and ST reserved seats, tickets were given only to the financially strong or who could mobilise resources to meet expenses.

Unusually stretched election schedule has also imposed heavy financial burden on candidate. The schedule was released on March 16, notification on April 18 and polling took place on May 13. It was a big task for candidates as they have to maintain not less than 200 followers every day during the campaign, spending at least Rs 500 on one person daily. Add costs of food and beverages, including alcohol. A close relative of a candidate said they had to spend Rs 5 lakh a day, including food and other requirements, just to ensure presence of cadre’s presence with the candidate.

Ward in-charges, key leaders, leaders representing various communities and caste associations were paid from Rs 50,000 to one lakh each. Additional expenses are must for every public meeting. Each candidate also spent crores on campaign vehicles, publicity leaflets, posters, flags and banners.

The candidates of ruling party have distributed saris, cookers, cricket kits and household items to the voters a month before the election schedule. Two days before polling, candidates of all parties gave cash from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 each to thousands of people. Some candidates bought more than 60,000 votes in a constituency.

Crores of black money belonging to the candidates was pocketed by middlemen who were supposed to procure votes by bribing them. In wards and villages, incidents of money not reaching voters despite being given to key persons responsible for distributing it to voters.

In addition to Rajamahendravaram Parliament constituency, there are seven Assembly constituencies in the East Godavari district. It is customary for Parliament candidates to provide money in crores apart from incurring their own expenses to each Assembly candidate under their limits.

An independent observer commented that all the candidates of YSRCP, TDP, BJP and Jana Sena together have spent Rs 300 crores in this election in East Godavari district alone.

The norms and restrictions of EC remained on paper only. No matter how many check posts and mobile squads were deployed, transport and distribution of cash could not be stopped.

Motorcycles were not checked at checkpoints. Villagers said lakhs of rupees cash was moved on two-wheelers before elections. Recently, police were shocked to find Rs 7 crore cash when a van on its way to Visakhapatnam overturned at Nallajerla in the district. It would not have been revealed had there been no accident. In the wake of the election, supply and consumption of alcohol has also been surging for the last two months.