The Money Trail

Politicians are quick to talk about state funding of parties and elections and how it will reduce the influence of money power. But there was no consensus at a meeting of national and regional parties called by the EC on February 15 to discuss the Centre’s proposals. The recommendations of the (late) Indrajit Gupta-headed Committee on State Funding came in for criticism from both the CPI(M) and the BJP. Even suggestions like rent-free premises for party HQs, free telephone with std facilities etc found little favour. Election funding to individual candidates drew a mixed response. And it’s nothing new. A similar effort by the the NDA regime had elicited the same apathy. Perhaps the feeling is that state funding would dampen prospects rather than make them brighter, considering that crores are spent on an LS constituency now.