Opposition Leaders Unite in Criticism of Union Budget 2026
Opposition parties have launched a scathing attack on the Union Budget 2026, with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi calling it a "Budget that refuses course correction, blind to India's real crises." The criticism came during multiple press conferences and statements following Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget presentation.
Chidambaram Questions Government's Economic Understanding
Former finance minister P Chidambaram, addressing a press conference at the AICC office in Delhi, expressed serious doubts about whether the government had even read the Economic Survey 2025-26. "If they had, it appears they have decided to discard it completely," he stated bluntly.
Chidambaram highlighted ten critical challenges identified by economic experts that he claims were completely ignored in the budget speech:
- Penal tariffs imposed by the United States
- Protracted trade conflicts affecting investment
- Growing trade deficit, particularly with China
- Low Gross Fixed Capital Formation at approximately 30%
- Reluctance of private sector to invest
- Uncertain outlook for foreign direct investment flow into India
- Persistent outflow of foreign portfolio investment for several months
- Gap between official inflation numbers and ground realities in household expenditure
- Closure of lakhs of MSMEs and survival struggles of remaining ones
- Education, healthcare, and transport cost burdens on common people
"None of this was addressed by the Finance Minister's speech," Chidambaram emphasized, adding that even by an accountant's standards, it represented a poor account of financial management for 2025-26.
Congress Questions Economic Statesmanship
The Congress party specifically criticized the budget for what they called a failure of economic strategy and economic statesmanship. They argued that the budget document and speech ignored the pressing problems faced by common citizens across the country.
Regional Leaders Voice Disappointment
Opposition leaders from various states expressed strong disappointment with what they perceived as regional neglect in the budget allocations.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the Union Budget as "directionless, visionless and anti-people" and noted that it offered nothing substantial for her state.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin called the budget "a huge disappointment to the state," particularly as Tamil Nadu prepares for Assembly elections. "We expected at least this year that the state would be visible to the eyes of the Union BJP government and our voices will be heard by them. However, this year too, the BJP government has delivered only disappointment," he stated.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the budget, suggesting that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had deliberately forgotten that Kerala is also part of India's map.
Broader Opposition Criticism
Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha member Ramji Lal Suman highlighted how rural India and farmers had been ignored in the budget allocations, while CPI Rajya Sabha member P Sandosh Kumar criticized what he called a "deliberate political choice to look away from people's hardships while concentrating power and resources in fewer hands."
The unified opposition criticism suggests significant political challenges ahead for the government's economic agenda, with leaders from multiple parties finding common ground in their dissatisfaction with the budget's approach to India's economic challenges and regional development needs.
