Opposition parties mounted a sharp attack on the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday, accusing the government of failing to address the concerns of ordinary citizens, farmers, unemployed youth and small businesses, even as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Budget in Parliament.
Leaders across parties said the Budget lacked concrete relief measures, ignored key states and sectors, and prioritised headline announcements over tackling deeper economic challenges.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the Budget speech made no reference to Kerala, calling it disappointing though he noted that finer details would emerge once the documents were studied. “The speech itself contains very few details that are actually necessary,” he said.
Another Congress MP, Ujjwal Raman Singh, said the Budget lacked the energy required to revive confidence. “Farmers, unemployed youth and even large states like Uttar Pradesh have been neglected. People expected announcements for regions like Prayagraj, but there was nothing,” he said, alleging that several schemes appeared skewed towards election-bound states.
Congress leaders air opposition
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said the Budget offered little to vulnerable sections. “There is nothing here for the poor, farmers or women. It is buried under slogans about a developed India by 2047,” he said.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather echoed concerns over Kerala’s exclusion, saying the state had hoped for specific initiatives, including high-speed rail projects. “Kerala has once again been ignored,” she said.
Congress MP Shashikant Senthil described the Budget as lacking policy direction. “There is nothing that stands out as a major decision. There is nothing substantial for common citizens, farmers or MSMEs,” he said.
Raising broader economic concerns, former Union Minister Manish Tewari said structural issues remained unaddressed. “Nominal GDP growth has weakened, tax buoyancy is poor and private investment is not picking up. Increased public capital expenditure only highlights the lack of private investment momentum,” he said, adding that foreign direct investment was also slowing.
Congress MP Imran Masood criticised the absence of export-related relief, particularly for regions affected by global tariffs. “Exports have collapsed in places like Moradabad and Saharanpur, but there is no support for exporters,” he said.
SP slams Budget as ‘Disappointing’
Leaders from other opposition parties also voiced dissatisfaction. Aam Aadmi Party MP Malwinder Singh Kang said Punjab and Haryana had been overlooked in tourism and expressway projects, while inflation relief was missing. “The poor have received nothing from this Budget,” he said.
Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai called the Budget confusing and disappointing, alleging it favoured a few corporate houses. His party colleague Neeraj Kushwaha Maurya said farmers and large states had been ignored, adding that welfare schemes such as MGNREGA had not received adequate support.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the Budget fell short at a time of global economic uncertainty. “Exporters are suffering, common people have received nothing, and markets reacted negatively. A truly visionary Budget would have inspired confidence,” she said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey said the Budget failed to deliver fresh ideas. “There was no tax relief, no meaningful push for jobs or startups. It does not bring happiness to ordinary people,” he said.
The Opposition said it would examine the detailed Budget documents in the coming days but maintained that the initial presentation failed to inspire confidence or address pressing economic anxieties facing households and businesses.
