Political campaigns carry significant financial stakes, often resembling high-risk investments where heavy spending does not always guarantee electoral success. In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the biggest beneficiary of this gamble. Its expenditure filings show that although it spent the highest total amount among reporting parties, it used only a small fraction of its vast financial reserves. The Congress, in contrast, spent far less overall but deployed a much larger share of its limited funds, yet secured minimal electoral gains.
Nearly four months after the results, parties submitted their official expenditure reports to the Election Commission of India, revealing detailed financial disclosures. According to the BJP’s report filed on February 10, the party spent ₹146.71 crore on its Bihar campaign, the highest among the parties that have reported their expenses so far. The Congress, which performed poorly in the election, declared campaign spending of ₹35.07 crore.
A comparison of financial reserves highlights the contrast in strategy. The BJP spent only about 2 percent of its available funds, while the Congress used approximately 28 percent of its reserves. After the election period, the BJP reported a closing balance of ₹7,088.58 crore, compared to ₹7,235.26 crore before the polls. The Congress ended with ₹89.13 crore, down from ₹124.2 crore prior to the election. While the BJP’s total expenditure was larger, the Congress risked a substantially higher proportion of its financial base.
In terms of electoral efficiency, the BJP won 89 seats, translating to roughly ₹1.64 crore spent per victorious candidate. Since the party contested 101 constituencies, its average spending per seat contested was about ₹1.45 crore. The Congress secured only six seats, meaning it spent around ₹5.83 crore per winning candidate. However, as it contested 61 seats, its average expenditure per constituency stood at roughly ₹57 lakh.
The BJP’s financial advantage translated into stronger electoral returns, positioning it to lead the government formation process. Senior leader Nitish Kumar is set to move to the Rajya Sabha, while the BJP is expected to appoint a chief minister from within its ranks.
It is important to note that official filings often capture only a portion of real campaign spending. A significant amount of election-related expenditure in India occurs through indirect channels, grassroots mobilisation, and unreported logistical arrangements that may not be reflected in declared figures.
The BJP’s spending in Bihar rose sharply compared to the previous Assembly elections. During the 2020 Bihar polls, the party had spent approximately ₹54.72 crore. By 2025, campaign expenditure nearly tripled, a surge that coincided with its emergence as the largest party in the Assembly with 89 MLAs.
A major share of the BJP’s campaign budget went toward publicity and leader travel to build momentum across the state. Of the total ₹146 crore expenditure, around ₹117 crore was spent on campaign outreach and the movement of senior leaders and star campaigners.
According to official data, ₹43.53 crore was allocated for advertisements and publicity, while ₹37.28 crore covered travel expenses for prominent campaigners. An additional ₹4.44 crore was spent on travel by other party leaders.
Digital outreach formed a notable component of the publicity strategy. The BJP paid ₹14.27 crore to Google India Limited for online advertising campaigns. The party also distributed ₹29.71 crore among its candidates as financial support to strengthen constituency-level campaigning.
The Congress followed a different spending pattern. Of its ₹35.07 crore campaign outlay, the largest share—₹12.83 crore—was used for travel by its star campaigners across the state. Another ₹11.24 crore was directed toward social media outreach and digital campaigning.
Congress also allocated funds for the Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, which took place in Bihar during the election period as part of its mobilisation efforts.
Among other parties that disclosed spending, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) reported expenditure of ₹26.75 lakh, while the Bahujan Samaj Party declared spending of about ₹9.01 crore. Both parties managed to win one seat each.
Spending details for key regional players such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United) have not yet been published, leaving their campaign expenditure unclear.
The overall picture reveals a stark financial imbalance in one of India’s most politically significant states. The BJP’s substantial financial reserves enabled it to run an expansive and high-intensity campaign while preserving most of its funds. The Congress, constrained by limited resources, committed a far larger share of its reserves in an effort to remain competitive but achieved modest electoral success.
