Are the huge expenses on election campaigns justified?

Are the huge expenses on election campaigns justified?

Elections are here and with the advent of the elections political parties are out on the field with their well designed advertising campaigns. Elections have always witnessed and supported the candidates’ election expenses rising, beating the inflation rate. This year elections are no exception. As per the estimate of Centre for Media Studies, this year the economy is going to witness the huge campaign expenditure which is estimated at Rs. 30,000 crore. And if we believe the statistics, it is going to be the second huge sum incurred, second only to the most expensive US presidential campaign of all time.

Yes

1. The expenditure made on the political campaigns works as a boost to a country’s economy. This year the election spending is expected to show considerable growth in the Indian consumption expenditure in the second quarter of 2014.

2. Election campaigns can be termed as the events organized which insures the political party against the rumored outlays of the rival. Especially the candidates who are new have to use the well –financed campaigns to reach the masses.

3. The expenditure incurred during the elections benefits a wide range of businesses. The sectors which get the maximum advantage are media groups and advertisers generating good revenue out of the campaign ads. According to an outlook by the country's largest local agency, Madison Media, this year India's advertising industry expects to see an $800 million injection during the election season

4. Past performance of the parties is not sufficient to lure the vote bank. This is clearly proved by the high-octane campaign planned by pro-business BJP candidate for Prime Minister, Narendra Modi this year.

5. The world runs on a simple rule of give and take. The campaigns are fair means to present your party in front of the masses. Even if the direct costs made on the campaign are stopped, it will lead the special interest groups to shift their resources from campaign contributions to lobbying.

No

1. Amid the euphoria of the political campaigns done to use the money power, the people and the parties may be losing sight of a very important message. The point is simple. Elections can be fought and won without spending insane amount of money. The special campaigns where the candidates representing the party approaches the voters with sincerity, the votes arrive in the ballot box, almost for free.

2. If you look back at the Vidhan Sabha elections, AAP successfully used the low-cost budget campaign and even managed to get the required votes to win the election.

3. The political campaigns generate an opportunity for the business people and other entities to en-cash their black money. Even the money is retained by the candidates, implying that the outflows on the political campaigns are far more than the normal requirement.

4. It is the unfair way to win the elections where the people’s thoughts and perceptions are influenced by the money power.

5. The use of black money in the political campaigns initiates a start of the ruling government which once comes in power will be ruled by the money-grabbing politicians.

Conclusion

Money is power and it plays an important role to help the candidate to achieve his goals. It necessarily doesn’t support the idea that the person who raises and spends the most wins every time, but it's close. The proportionate allocation of funds along with the information and debates financed and presented by independent media and independent political groups should be the way to reach the local masses.