The absence of any special relief package for strife-hit Manipur in the Union budget has triggered a feeling of “being let down and neglected” by the BJP-led Centre, according to the Opposition Congress.

A post on X by Congress’s newly elected Inner Manipur MP, A. Bimol Akoijam, on the budget reflected these feelings, state PCC president K. Meghachandra pointed out.

Akoijam said: “Absence thy name is Manipur, that's the budget speak! Nothing on flood and rehabilitation package for IDPs in the state!"

Another Congress leader and lawyer, Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, posted on X: “I am sorry, Madam Finance Minister @nsitharaman. I thought and had expected for a special package of Rs 10,000 crore for Manipur and the people of Manipur in your Union Budget Speech, as Manipur has been in turmoil for more than 14 months. But, it didn't happen.”

Apart from the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos which had displaced over 60,000, Manipur was also hit by two waves of floods and a severe hailstorm this year.

There were “high” expectations that the budget would announce some special packages for the state to cope with the ethnic conflict and natural disasters that have taken a drastic toll on the economy and human resources, Meghachandra told The Telegraph.

“But our hopes were belied. Manipur feels let down by the Centre. We are being ignored, neglected by the double-engine government,” he said.

Both the Centre and the state have BJP-led governments.

“There was no mention of Manipur in the budget. There was no special package for the state in turmoil since May last year. The condition of the areas affected by flood and hailstorm is not good, and funding by the BJP-led state government is also not adequate,” Meghachandra said.

He added: “This budget is a kursi bachao budget. There is favouritism in the budget going by the support extended to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.”