An analysis of the election expenditures of the October Assembly polls has revealed a fact that, surely, leaves one wide-eyed with incredulity: nearly half of the state’s MLAs spent less than half of the maximum allowable amount for campaigning in the run-up to the polls. In fact, some MLAs claim they spent less than Rs 3 lakh.

The analysis was conducted by Maharashtra Election Watch (MEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms, an NGO, based on the election expenses filed by the state’s 288 MLAs. And the facts are certainly astounding, to say the least.