No Munugode bypoll candidate spent over Rs. 40 lakh: Official data
HYDERABAD: The Munugode Assembly byelection was touted as the most expensive bypoll in the country with reports of major parties splurging money and supplying liquor like water, approximately to the overall extent of Rs, 600 crore. However, the expenditure details of the candidates submitted by Nalgonda district election officials to the Election Commission showed that no candidate had spent Rs. 40 lakh, the maximum expenditure limit set by the poll panel for candidates in Assembly election.
BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy spent the highest amount at Rs. 34.75 lakh, while Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi spent Rs. 28.96 lakh and TRS candidate Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, who won the election, had spent just Rs. 26.12 lakh.
Among independent candidates, K.A. Paul stood at the top with an expenditure of Rs. 6.79 lakh.
Among other recognised and registered parties Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Andoju Sankara Chari spent Rs. 13,11,500, Telangana Jana Samith candidate Palle Vinay Kumar Goud Rs. 5,58,483, Yuga Thulasi Party candidate K. Shiva Kumar Rs. 3,21,200, Prajavani Party candidate Lingidi Venkateswarlu Rs. 1,35,768.
Fortyseven candidates remained in the fray for Munugode bypoll held in November.
Data showed that only 13 candidates spent more than Rs. 1 lakh. Of the remaining 24 candidates, 11 spent between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 10,000.
