According to preliminary estimates, the actual cost of running the campaign by all parties in the current Lok Sabha elections has crossed the Rs 50,000 crore. The political parties have reportedly spent Rs 3000 crore on advertisement campaigns. The Election Commission's budget for the 2009 elections is Rs 1,300 crore, which includes the conduct of polls plus transportation and movement of security forces. The state governments and other government agencies have earmarked Rs 700 crore for photo identity cards, electronic voting machines and setting up polling booths.
Now my question is "Where did the parties get Rs 50,000 Crore to spend on the election?" . Corporates are not allowed legally in India to donate to Parties. None of these parties have any sort of base or subscriptions that they can collect to fill their coffers. So obviously, the enitre money has to be black money, got from pliant industrialists, kickbacks from various deals and simple old fashioned corruption. If you and me were to build a house worth 40 lakhs, IT department will ask for the source. Why are they silent on the political parties source of income, as people who have funded these parties will claim their pound of flesh after the elections, to the detriment of the common man in the long run. Who will bell this cat?
