The Nagpur Municipal Corporation collected substantial revenue from political advertisements during the ongoing campaign for civic elections. With polling scheduled for January 15, political parties aggressively used hoardings and display boards to reach voters across the city.
Revenue Crosses Seven Lakh Mark
NMC's advertisement department implemented a single-window system for granting permissions. This system strictly followed Election Commission guidelines. Over just fifteen days, the civic body approved 356 advertising panels throughout Nagpur. These permissions generated total revenue of Rs7,02,752 for the municipal corporation.
The model code of conduct came into effect on December 15. Campaigning formally began after scrutiny of nominations on December 31. Despite increasing use of digital tools, traditional hoardings and display boards remained the most preferred mode of political advertising.
BJP Dominates Advertisement Spending
The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the clear leader in advertisement expenditure. BJP alone secured permission for 277 advertising panels. The party paid Rs6,37,929 to the civic body for these permissions.
Within the BJP, 103 candidates collectively contributed Rs1,05,438 toward advertisement fees. This substantial investment underscored the party's extensive on-ground visibility campaign across Nagpur.
Other Parties Trail Far Behind
The Congress party lagged significantly behind BJP in advertisement spending. Congress obtained permission for just 24 advertising panels. The party paid Rs36,113 for these permissions.
NCP(SP) stood third in the ranking. They installed 32 panels at a cost of Rs15,314. Independent candidates accounted for the lowest number of permissions overall.
Three candidates in Nehru Nagar zone and two candidates in Satranjipura zone together paid a nominal Rs836. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi obtained a single permission in Laxmi Nagar zone, paying Rs3,488.
Other parties made smaller contributions. BSP paid Rs1,232 for one panel. Shiv Sena (UBT) paid Rs1,540 for three permissions. Shiv Sena (Shinde) secured 11 permissions for Rs1,650. NCP (Ajit) and Jan Badlav Party each took one permission.
Zone-Wise Distribution of Hoardings
Dharampeth and Mangalwari zones recorded the highest number of hoardings at 64 each. Nehru Nagar and Lakadganj followed closely with 43 hoardings each.
Gandhibagh and Dhantoli zones recorded 31 hoardings each. Satranjipura recorded 23 hoardings while Laxmi Nagar recorded 22. The lowest numbers appeared in Ashi Nagar with 16 hoardings and Hanuman Nagar with 19.
Uneven Campaign Spending Revealed
With advertising revenues crossing Rs7 lakh, the hoardings battle clearly reflected uneven campaign spending patterns. BJP accounted for a lion's share of the total revenue. This financial disparity became evident as Nagpur headed toward polling day.
The revenue figures highlight how traditional advertising methods continue to play a crucial role in election campaigns. Municipal corporations benefit financially from these political expenditures during election seasons.
