Assembly polls: Candidates loosen purse strings for campaigning

Zeeshan Siddique contested against Shiv Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar

Ahead of the assembly elections, candidates have gone all out to ensure that they reach out to as many people in their constituency as possible. Based on their declaration submitted to the election commission, candidates from major political parties have spent a considerable amount of money on printing pamphlets, booking halls for events, arranging for videographers and purchasing tea and snacks.

Apart from shelling out rental fees for halls and buying refreshments, candidates have spent a fair amount of money on printing election material including pamphlets, caps, badges and scarfs among others. Congress leader Baba Siddique's son Zeeshan contested from Bandra East for the first time against sitting MLA and independent candidate Trupti Sawant. Among his other expenses, Siddique spent more than Rs 1.6 lakh for printing election material, another Rs 1.38 lakh under branding activities and around Rs 75,000 to rent furniture.

In Bandra west, while Asif Zakaria spent Rs 34,000 on printing election material, interestingly, BJP candidate and sitting MLA Ashish Shelar didn't mention any expenses for the same. Congress candidate and sitting MLA Aslam Shaikh who is contesting in the Malad West constituency spent Rs 2.53 lakh on printing election material. In Ghatkopar east, BJP candidate and sitting corporator Parag Shah, who is the richest candidate in the fray spent only Rs 1.07 lakh on printing material.

In comparison to some Congress candidates, BJP and Shiv Sena candidates spent lesser on promotional expenses. While Prakash Surve, Sena candidate for Magathane spent Rs 55,000, Sunil Rane BJP candidate for Borivali spent Rs 66,900.

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