GUWAHATI: BJP was the biggest fund raiser and spender in the assembly elections in five states of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal held in 2016.

According to the "analysis of funds collected and expenditure incurred by Political Parties in the 5 State Assembly Elections, 2016" by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which is based on statements submitted by the parties to EC, among the national parties, BJP collected the maximum funds of Rs 131.72 cr, which formed 45.75% of the total funds collected by the six national parties at the central and state levels for the five state assembly elections.

The ADR report released today states that total fund collection by all national and regional parties which contested the election in the five states was Rs 355.11 cr of which Rs 287.89 cr was by the national parties alone.

Out of the total amount in BJP's kitty, its central office had contributed Rs 86.31 cr while its West Bengal state unit collected Rs 41.88 cr. the Tamil Nadu unit collected Rs 1.71 cr followed by Assam with Rs 1.45 cr, Kerala Rs 0.37 cr and Puducherry Rs 0.0026 cr.

Congress, which was behind BJP, netted a total collection of Rs 94.23 cr. Of which Rs 36.05 cr by its central office, Rs 24.64 cr by its West Bengal unit, Rs 13.95 cr by Tamil Nadu unit, followed by Rs 8.49 cr from Assam unit, Rs 9.5 cr by Kerala unit and Rs 1.6 cr by Puducherry unit.

CPI(M) raised Rs 51.88 cr of which Rs 28.79 cr came from its Kerala unit and Rs 17.54 cr from its West Bengal unit.

AITC declared collecting only Rs 3.02 cr while contesting in Assam and West Bengal State Assembly Elections, 100% of which was collected at the party's central headquarters.

Out of total expenditure of Rs 402.09 cr by all the parties, BJP alone spent Rs 112.14 cr. The total expenditure of the six national parties was Rs 188.12 cr,

BJP spent Rs 84.36 cr (75.23% of total expenditure) from the central level while from the state level, its Kerala state unit incurred the highest of Rs 14.11 cr followed by West Bengal state unit (Rs 5.70 cr) and Assam state unit (Rs 4.03 cr).

INC spent the second highest amount of Rs 41.49 cr, of which Rs 14.57 cr (35.12%) expenditure was at the Central level and second highest at the West Bengal State Unit (Rs 10.63 cr) followed by Assam State Unit (Rs 10.02 cr).