Opposition parties have criticised the budget while viewing as a partial victory the reduction in income tax rates.

Inspired by singer Taylor Swift, leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi wrote on X: “A band-aid for bullet wounds! Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas.”

The CPM said in a statement that instead of addressing the root cause of the demand problem being faced by so many sectors of the economy — the lack of purchasing power in the hands of large sections of the population because of mass unemployment and shrinking wages — the Modi government was seeking to stimulate the economy by offering tax cuts to the small minority with higher incomes even as expenditures are slashed. “It is, therefore, a budget by the rich, for the rich,” the party said.

The CPIML-Liberation said that the actual expenditure of the health department was less than last year’s budget proposals. “The demand for the increase in the wages of scheme workers — ASHA, aanganwadi and mid-day meal labourers — as well as their recognition as employees has been ignored in the budget,” it said.

AAP social media handles claimed that the income tax rate cuts were a response to the party’s “middle-class manifesto” for the Delhi polls. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal posted on X: “I had demanded that it be announced in the budget that from now on, the loans of no billionaire will be waived. With the money saved from this, 1. Middle-class home loans and vehicle loans should be waived; farmers’ loans should be waived. 2. Income tax and GST tax rates should be halved.”

BSP chief Mayawati said the NDA government’s budget, like that of the UPA’s, seemed to be more about political interests and less about the people and the country. “If this is not the case, then why is the life of the people continuously troubled, miserable and unhappy under this government?” the party asked on X.

Aaditya Thackeray, youth leader of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, posted: “The BJP that spoke of abolition of income tax, around the years 2012-14 before elections, at least is now getting more liberal and negotiating with taxpayers on slabs and rebates (with a lot of conditions and hidden clauses). This is the power of the citizens that brought them to 240, from a majority government that took us Bhartiyas for granted.”

Several leaders expressed resentment at the preference given to poll-bound Bihar.

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said: “The focus is on the election-bound states of Bihar and Assam but farmers who were promised a legal guarantee on MSP have got nothing. These farmers who are now again sitting on dharna have
been ignored.”

Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin said that the state held a prominent place in all reports of the Union government, such as the Economic Survey, the ranking of higher education institutions and Niti Aayog studies.

“Page after page, Tamil Nadu’s activities are praised. But why is Tamil Nadu completely ignored this year in the budget report alone?... If the plans and funds are announced only for the state in which elections are to be held and where the BJP coalition is in power, then what is the need to call it a Union budget statement?” he asked.