Union Budget 2026 Draws Sharp Political Divide; Opposition Slams, BJP-Ruled States Welcome Proposals

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shows the digital tablet, enclosed in a traditional red ‘bahi-khata’ style pouch, at the Parliament premises before presenting of the ‘Union Budget 2026-27’, in New Delhi, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)

Congress, regional leaders call it directionless and anti-people; BJP leaders hail growth push, infra boost and Viksit Bharat vision

The Union Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Sunday, triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition parties branding it “directionless” and “anti-people”, while BJP leaders and NDA-ruled states hailed it as a growth-oriented roadmap aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat vision.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said the Budget ignored India’s real crises, pointing to unemployment, falling manufacturing, declining household savings and farmers’ distress.

“A Budget that refuses course correction, blind to India’s real crises,” he said in a post on X.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the Budget “directionless, visionless and actionless”, alleging it had nothing to offer to common people or her state.

“This Budget is anti-people, anti-women, anti-farmer, anti-education and against SC, ST and OBCs. There is nothing on offer for Bengal,” she said, claiming allocations for education, fertiliser and social security subsidies had been slashed.

She also linked the stock market fall to the Budget’s impact and alleged that infrastructure projects mentioned were merely a repetition of past announcements.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Modi government had “run out of ideas”, asserting that the Budget offered “no policy vision and no political will”.

“There is no revival strategy for manufacturing, no serious plan for jobs, no relief for the poor and middle class,” he said.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh described the Budget as “totally lacklustre and non-transparent”, while K C Venugopal said it favoured corporates and ignored common people.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala called it “politically directionless and policy-wise bankrupt”.

Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor, using a cricket analogy, said the finance minister “seems to have missed the ball”.

“There were many subheadings but very few specifics. The biggest unanswered question remains jobs,” he said, adding that states like Kerala were largely ignored.

DMK MP Kanimozhi said the Budget failed to remember Tamil Nadu, even with elections approaching. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said there was “no benefit” for his state and demanded restoration of MGNREGA, opposing the new rural employment legislation.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the Budget as a “historic document” that lays a strong foundation for India’s developed future.

“The Budget focuses on economic growth, employment generation and inclusive development under the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” he said. Sai highlighted measures for farmers, youth employment, healthcare, tourism, women empowerment and infrastructure, including high-speed rail corridors, waterways, semiconductor investments and biopharma funding.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Budget charts India’s path towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, noting that the state would receive ₹98,306 crore in tax devolution this year. Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh described the Budget as a “well-balanced roadmap”, citing opportunities for the state through critical minerals corridors, electronics manufacturing, data centres and tourism.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Budget touches every segment and supports employment generation, disaster management and business growth, calling it a “spectacular” effort.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the #ViksitBharatBudget reflects Prime Minister Modi’s vision from education to self-employment, highlighting university townships, AVGC labs and industry-linked skilling.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed it a “Yuva Shakti-driven Budget” that transforms aspiration into achievement. Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw welcomed the ₹10,000 crore Biopharma Shakti initiative, saying it would position India as a global biopharma manufacturing hub and strengthen healthcare innovation.

This is Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Budget, making her the longest-serving finance minister.