As political war intensifies in India, with every political party vying for the votes of digitally connected citizens, Google emerges a clear winner by raking in a staggering Rs 135 crore between January 1 and Apr 16, 2024, as per Google's own Ad Transparency data. 

Polls will be kicking off on April 19 and will be held in seven phases till June 1.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads the pack with a hefty investment of Rs 45.1 crore in Google ads. Close on its heels is the Central Bureau of Communication (previously known as DAVP- Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity) under the Government of India, with Rs 32.3 crore allocated to Google ads.

Most of their ads featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi and were run in different languages. A large part of the BJP and DAVP’s ad expenses were incurred between January and 15 March, just before the Election Commission announced elections. All expenses after the announcement are counted under poll expenses. 

The main opposition party Indian National Congress (INC) ranks fourth with a Rs 10.4 crore expenditure. Most of their ads featured Rahul Gandhi, Member of Parliament and Kamal Nath, former CM of Madhya Pradesh. Several INC ads were removed by Google for alleged policy violations.

Political consulting groups like the Chennai-based Populus Empowerment Network (PEN) and Mumbai-based I-PAC are also significant contributors to Google's coffers. 

PEN, which works closely with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and is believed to be owned by Stalin’s son-in-law V. Sabareesan, has spent Rs 14.4 Cr in 2024.

I-PAC, which is believed to be the country’s first and largest cross-party political advocacy group, set up by Prashant Kishore, spent Rs 7.5 Cr.

Other entities such as the Electronics Department of Odisha Government, YSR Congress, and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are also among big advertisers on Google ads, albeit with comparatively smaller budgets.

This trend underscores the pivotal role tech platforms play in election campaigns. "With a vast reach and precise targeting capabilities, platforms like Google offer political parties and organizations an unparalleled opportunity to connect with voters on a massive scale", political party leaders told e4m.

“The substantial investment in Google ads reflects the growing importance of online outreach strategies in shaping public opinion and securing electoral victories. In this digital age, where information travels at the speed of light, mastering the art of online campaigning may well prove to be the decisive factor,” a senior ad executive pointed out. 

Over 1.17 lakh Google ads have been floated so far. Most of these ads were targeted at Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal.  

Over 97 crore voters will use their franchise this time. The results will be declared on June 4.