DMK, TMC spent over Rs 265 crore on 2021 polls

The DMK and the Trinamool Congress (AITC), winners of State elections in 2021, each spent over Rs 265 crore on their campaigns, according to reports submitted to the Election Commission of India. The AIADMK, which lost power, spent 99.5% of its election fund on propaganda, and allotted nearly all of that to media and advertisements.

In contrast, the DMK and the AITC split their expenses equally between candidate support and party propaganda. The Congress adopted varied strategies across states: in Assam it relied on star campaigners, while in Kerala it spent most on media and ads. The AIADMK reduced total spending from 2016, while the DMK increased it, shifting from rallies to publicity materials due to COVID-19 restrictions.