Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday that she would not contest the Lok Sabha election as she does not have the “kind of money” needed to contest elections.
During a summit, Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to run for office in either Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh. However, she ultimately turned down the offer. Sitharaman explained that after contemplating for a week or so, she decided to decline the opportunity. She cited her party president’s question about her willingness to contest in the southern region, specifically in Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh, as a factor in her decision-making process.
The Election Commission of India allows a candidate to spend up to ₹95 lakh for a Parliamentary election campaign. However, according to an EC report, the 2019 elections saw an average of ₹100 crore spent per constituency, or ₹700 per vote.
The Union Finance Minister expressed her inability to contest elections due to financial constraints, highlighting the issue of winning criteria based on community or religion in states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Despite the party’s understanding and acceptance of her decision, she emphasized that her personal funds, including salary, earnings, and savings, are not sourced from the Consolidated Fund of India.
