Congress raises eyebrows as BJP becomes top advertiser in India

New Delhi : With Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) turning out to be a top advertiser on Indian television, Congress has raised its eyebrows asking the Election Commission (EC) to assess BJP's assets.

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) on Friday released its data and revealed BJP as number one advertiser on television in the run-up to assembly elections, prompting Congress to put up a big question mark on money spending of the party.

"These advertisement spends by the BJP reflect a clear nexus between big businesses and big politicians... This is crony capitalism personified, this is the quintessential 'suit-boot ki sarkar'," Congress leader Manish Tewari told the media here citing the BARC data.

"The EC must summon this BARC data and need to find out how much money India's top advertiser (BJP) has spent on these advertisements.

"We demand the EC take suo-motu cognisance of the BARC data, translate it into monetary spends and see what is the impact on electoral process. The EC must take serious cognisance of its impact on the probity transparency and integrity of the electoral process," said the former Minister of Information and Broadcasting.