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Journalism of Courage
The Congress may have stood fourth in the UP assembly elections by winning only 28 seats,but the party gave more money to its candidates for contesting the elections than even the Samajwadi Party which won,according to details of election expenses submitted by candidates.
Incidentally,this is the first time that many candidates have disclosed the money they received from their respective parties to contest the elections. In the past,neither the parties nor candidates shared this information.
Several Congress candidates,including state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi,have mentioned that they received Rs 12 lakh from the party. Very few candidates of other parties have disclosed this information,but none received as much money as the Congress candidates.
An official in the state Chief Electoral Office said,We have so far received summary reports and affidavits of around 6,100 candidates from different districts. A large number of Congress candidates have declared that they received Rs 12 lakh from the party. Other parties paid Rs 2 lakh to 10 lakh to candidates.
BSP candidates have not mentioned any financial assistance,said the official.
This was the first time the Election Commission asked the candidates to give details of money they received from their parties during the elections. If any discrepancy was found in the expenditure details given by the candidates and their parties,the EC will inquire into the matter and may initiate action under law,said Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha.
