Last Updated:
Maharashtra BJP is at the top of the list with an expenditure of a little above Rs 2.7 crore. The first runner-up is also the BJP with its Jharkhand unit
With campaigning shifting from traditional to virtual means to grab the attention of those on-the-go, the BJP seems to be way ahead in the race. (PTI)
The campaigning for the high-stakes Maharashtra election ended on Monday, with the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine hoping for a strong comeback.
However, beyond the slogans of “Batenge Toh Katenge” and “Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain”, political parties have been splurging crores on Facebook advertisements targeting the assembly poll-ready states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with Maharashtra BJP leading the coverage.
MAHARASHTRA BJP > INC + NCP
When it comes to expenditure, no one comes close to BJP. Maharashtra BJP is at the top of the list with an expenditure of a little above Rs 2.7 crore. The first runner-up is also the BJP with its Jharkhand unit. In the last 30 days, the Jharkhand BJP has spent a little above Rs 2.4 crore on Facebook’s political advertisements. At No.3 is the Congress which spent a little above Rs 1.2 crore in the last 30 days.
There is only one Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally in the list of 20 where Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar features at No. 4, just after Congress, with an expenditure which is a little above Rs 1.2 crore. Together, Congress and NCP (SP)’s Facebook expenditure for one month comes at a little above Rs 2.4 crore. This amount is yet to touch the stand-alone Facebook expenditure of Maharashtra BJP at Rs 2.7 crore which got it 1,267 political advertisements in the last 30 days.
DOMINANCE OF MAHAYUTI, PERSONAL BRANDING
While there is no place for Shiv Sena-UBT or other parties in this virtual fray, all allies of Mahayuti are present on the list — Ajit Pawar faction of NCP as well as Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena. Sena features in the seventh position on last month’s expenditure list with Rs 36 lakh and 196 advertisements.
Similarly, NCP Official, which bears Ajit Pawar’s photo, is next with an expenditure of Rs 30 lakh and 761 advertisements.
There are also a few pages that made it to the top 20 that are typical of personal brandings like that of Devendra Fadnavis for Maharashtra, Nana Patole Samarthak, Ravindra Chavan or Dada Cha Wada. In the last one, Ajit Pawar promotes himself.
With campaigning shifting from traditional to virtual means to grab the attention of those on-the-go, the BJP seems to be way ahead in the race.
Voting for Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats will take place on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23.
