Written by Damini NathNew Delhi | January 20, 2026 06:42 AM IST 4 min readThe Election Commission had announced the 2024 polls on March 16 that year, so campaigning had begun in the financial year 2023-2024 itself.The BJP’s spending on election and general propaganda stood at Rs 3,335.36 crore in 2024-25 when elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and eight Assemblies were held, as per the party’s annual audit report submitted to the Election Commission.This is almost two-and-a-half times Rs 1,352.92 crore, the amount spent in 2019-20 when elections to the 17th Lok Sabha and seven Assemblies were held.The Election Commission had announced the 2024 polls on March 16 that year, so campaigning had begun in the financial year 2023-2024 itself. The polling took place between April 19 to June 1, 2024, spanning 44 days. In the pre-election year, i.e., 2023-24, spending on election and general propaganda stood at Rs 1,754.06 crore.Thus, the total expenditure in the two years (election year and the pre-election year) leading up to the 18th Lok Sabha and the eight Assemblies added up to Rs 5,089.42 crore, more than double the total amount of Rs 2,145.31 crore spent in the two years (election year and the pre-election year) leading up to the 17th Lok Sabha and seven Assemblies.The Assembly elections during the years 2019-20 and 2024-25 were for the states of Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In 2024-25, J&K went to polls in addition to the seven states.According to the annual report, which was submitted by the BJP to the EC on December 27, 2025, and published by the EC this week, election expenses accounted for 88 per cent of the party’s total expenses (Rs.3,774.58 crore). Of the total expense on “election/general propaganda”, the report shows advertisements and publicity accounted for about 68 per cent of the spending, at Rs 2,257.05 crore. Out of that, spending on electronic media was the highest (Rs 1,124.96 crore), followed by Rs 897.42 crore on “advertisement”. The party also spent Rs 583.08 crore on travel via aircraft/helicopters, the report said. The party extended financial assistance to candidates to the tune of Rs 312.90 crore.In the previous Lok Sabha election cycle, the BJP’s election spending had increased from Rs.792.39 crore in 2018-2019 to Rs 1,352.92 crore in 2019-2020.Story continues below this adThe Congress, on the other hand, spent Rs 896.22 crore on contesting elections in 2024-2025, up from Rs 619.67 crore in 2023-2024, as per its annual report submitted to the EC last year.Income risesThe report also showed that the BJP’s total income in 2024-2025 grew from Rs 4,340.47 crore in 2023-2024 to Rs 6,769.14 crore. The majority of the party’s income came from voluntary contributions (Rs 6,124.85 crore), while the rest was from fees and subscriptions, interest from banks and other sources.Though 2024-2025 was the first year after the Supreme Court scrapped the government’s anonymous political funding scheme, the Electoral Bond Scheme, donations to the BJP increased 54 per cent from the previous year’s Rs 3,967.14 crore. As per the BJP’s contribution report, which was published by the EC in December, electoral trusts had accounted for 61 per cent of all contributions to the party in 2024-2025.The party ended the year with a closing balance of Rs 12,164.14 crore on March 31, 2025. The report showed that it had Rs 9,996.12 crore in cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year, up from Rs 7,113.90 crore at the end of the previous year.Story continues below this adAccording to EC rules, all parties have to submit their annual audited accounts reports as well as the contribution reports, which cover all donations in excess of Rs 20,000 each. These reports are then made public by the EC on its website.Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Bharatiya Janata Party