BJP's Election Expenditure Skyrockets in Latest Financial Year
The Bharatiya Janata Party spent a staggering Rs 3,335.36 crore on election and general propaganda during the 2024-25 financial year. This massive expenditure supported campaigns for the 18th Lok Sabha elections and eight state assembly polls. The party submitted its annual audit report to the Election Commission, revealing these substantial financial details.
Dramatic Increase Compared to Previous Election Cycle
The BJP's spending represents a dramatic jump from previous years. In the 2019-20 financial year, when elections for the 17th Lok Sabha and seven assemblies occurred, the party spent Rs 1,352.92 crore. The current expenditure marks an increase of nearly two-and-a-half times that amount.
Campaigning for the 2024 elections began early. The Election Commission announced the polls on March 16, 2024, meaning significant activity started in the 2023-24 financial year itself. Voting then took place between April 19 and June 1, 2024, spanning 44 days across the country.
Two-Year Spending Pattern Shows Major Growth
Looking at the broader picture reveals even more substantial growth. In the pre-election year of 2023-24, the BJP spent Rs 1,754.06 crore on election-related activities. Combined with the election year spending, the total for the two-year period leading to the 18th Lok Sabha reached Rs 5,089.42 crore.
This represents more than double the Rs 2,145.31 crore spent during the two-year period before the previous Lok Sabha elections. The assembly elections during both cycles involved multiple states including Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. The 2024-25 cycle additionally included Jammu and Kashmir.
Detailed Breakdown of Election Expenses
The annual report, submitted by the BJP on December 27, 2025, shows election expenses dominated the party's financial outlay. Election-related costs accounted for 88 percent of the BJP's total expenses, which stood at Rs 3,774.58 crore for the year.
Within the election propaganda category, advertisements and publicity consumed about 68 percent of spending. This amounted to Rs 2,257.05 crore, with electronic media receiving the largest share at Rs 1,124.96 crore. Traditional advertisement spending followed at Rs 897.42 crore.
The party also allocated substantial funds for campaign travel. Aircraft and helicopter expenses totaled Rs 583.08 crore. Additionally, the BJP provided Rs 312.90 crore in financial assistance to its candidates across various constituencies.
Comparison with Previous Cycles and Other Parties
The BJP's election spending has shown consistent growth over recent election cycles. During the previous Lok Sabha elections, expenditure increased from Rs 792.39 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 1,352.92 crore in 2019-20.
Meanwhile, the Congress party reported spending Rs 896.22 crore on contesting elections in 2024-25. This marked an increase from their Rs 619.67 crore expenditure in 2023-24, according to their annual report submitted to the Election Commission.
Substantial Income Growth and Cash Reserves
The BJP's financial report reveals impressive income growth alongside its increased spending. Total income surged from Rs 4,340.47 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 6,769.14 crore in 2024-25.
Voluntary contributions formed the majority of this income at Rs 6,124.85 crore. The remainder came from fees, subscriptions, bank interest, and other sources. Despite the Supreme Court scrapping the Electoral Bond Scheme, donations to the BJP increased by 54 percent from the previous year's Rs 3,967.14 crore.
Electoral trusts accounted for 61 percent of all contributions to the party in 2024-25, according to the BJP's contribution report published by the Election Commission in December.
Strong Financial Position at Year-End
The BJP ended the financial year with robust financial reserves. The closing balance stood at Rs 12,164.14 crore as of March 31, 2025. More significantly, cash and cash equivalents reached Rs 9,996.12 crore at year-end, up substantially from Rs 7,113.90 crore at the end of the previous year.
These financial disclosures follow Election Commission rules requiring all political parties to submit annual audited accounts. Parties must also provide contribution reports covering all donations exceeding Rs 20,000. The Election Commission makes these reports publicly available on its official website.
