Congress candidates prudent, spent less in 2014 polls, YSRC candidate tops assembly list

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 25, 2014:  A look at the election expenditure of the Congress candidates of various assembly segments proves that they are very wise. Predicting misfortunes and debacle most of the candidates spent money ‘modestly’.

As per the report of the district election officer on election expenses accounts by candidates who contested 2014 polls, Congress candidates spent minimal amounts among the other prominent parties like YSRC and TD.

While they might have spent a few more lakhs of rupees to lure voters interestingly as per ‘official’ records no candidate crossed the expenditure limit prescribed by Election Commission of India. As per ECI guidelines a lok sabha candidate can spend Rs 70 lakhs and an assembly candidate Rs 28lakhs for campaigning and publicity.  

Vizag West candidate Pedada Ramani Kumari topped among the Congress candidates in the 15 assembly segments coming under Vizag district on spending money. She spent Rs 14,97, 136 lakhs. Next comes the Payakaraopeta Congress candidate, Y Krishna Murthy who spent around Rs 11, 19, 408 lakhs. 

Former tribal welfare minister who contested for Paderu assembly segment, stood third in the list by spending Rs 8, 35, 481. Vizag East contestant D Prabha Goud spent Rs 5,08, 933 lakhs and stood last in the list.  

Interestingly in Vizag west, the winning TD candidate, PVGR Naidu had spent only Rs 9, 91, 382 lakhs, less than the Congress candidate Ramana Kumari. For Vizag parliament, BJP candidate, Kambhampati Haribabu, who won the seat, had spent Rs 25, 51, 607 lakhs and the Congress candidate Bolisetty Satyanrayana too spent almost the same amount- Rs 25, 57, 973 lakhs.

YSRC candidate, party honorary president, YS Vijayalakshmi submitted accounts to have spent Rs 35, 66, 642 and Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP), candidate, Sabbam Hari, who has withdrawn from the race in the last minute, two days before the poll day, spent Rs  8, 31, 189. Vizag Lok Sabha candidate, NRI, Budha Chandrsekhar, spent around Rs 9, 33,000 lakhs and topped the independents list.  

Among the YSRC assembly candidates, in fact among all the candidates cutting across part lines, Chodavaram contestant, Karanam Dharma Sri spent the highest amount of Rs 20,20, 440 lakhs who lost to a TD candidate. Among the TD candidates, the highest amount spent was Rs 19, 53,889 by Payakaraopeta (Reserved for SCs) candidate, Vangalapudi Anita.

AAP candidates who were in fray for Vizag Lok Sabha and 7 assembly segments that come under it spent the least followed by independent candidates. Most of them spent a few thousands and the expenses put together by all the AAP candidates comes less than Rs 1 lakh.

  In Araku Lok Sabha, Congress candidate, former union minister, V Kishore Chandra Deo, who lost to YSRC candidate Kottapalli Geeta spent Rs 13, 27, 724 lakhs. Geeta spent Rs 11, 79, 536 lakhs and TD candidate Gummidi Sandhya Rani, spent Rs 7, 76, 089 lakhs.