The YSR Congress Party which is careful in choosing its candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections is apparently looking for potential candidates who can fund their own campaign and relieve the party machinery of the headache of spending. According to party sources, if a potential candidate is approaching the Party High Command seeking a particular assembly or Lok Sabha seat, he or she should demonstrate that they have the financial resources to do so.
Party sources say that the candidate’s personal expenses and campaign could cost anywhere between Rs. 5 crore to Rs. 10 crore while the campaign expenditure for the party may cost somewhere between Rs. 10 crore to Rs. 50 crore, depending on the constituency. “Therefore, the candidate needs to show us that they have the resources to back their campaign,” said a party leader.
On the other hand, party sources say that this is common for any candidate willing to contest. The rates change depending on whether it is for Lok Sabha or Assembly. However, even for the party leadership, it becomes easier if a candidate can fund for his or her own campaign without depending on party’s other resources.
According to Election Commission rules, a party’s maximum limit to spend is Rs. 70 lakh for Lok Sabha elections, depending on the size of the state. Meanwhile, a candidate’s threshold for spending as imposed by the EC is Rs. 28 lakh. However, political leaders agree that the limits set by EC do not even add up to a fraction of their spending and goes way beyond the set limits.
