NCP MLA says he spent Rs 10-12 crore during election

Mumbai, Mar 11 (PTI) An MLA of the Nationalist Congress Party led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has created ripples by claiming that he spent Rs 10 to 12 crore during his election campaign.

Prakash Solanke, fourth term MLA from Majalgaon assembly constituency in Beed district, later retracted his remarks, made at a public event, saying he made those remarks in a lighter vein. “I wanted to say lakhs, but said crore,” he said.

Solanke made the election expenditure remarks at a public meeting at Vadvani in Beed district on Sunday. A video of his speech has gone viral on social media.

“Candidates get elected by spending lot of money. People said that in the last elections, one candidate spent Rs 45 crore. I heard that another (candidate) spent Rs 35 crore. However, I limited (my expenses) to just Rs 10-12 crore,” Solanke was heard saying in the viral video.

When asked about his remarks at the Vadvani event, Solanke on Tuesday told reporters that he made the claim in a lighter vein. “The party gave me Rs 40 lakh as election fund. I spent Rs 23 lakh and returned the rest,” he said. PTI VT