While the BJPattempts to woo voters in the four poll-bound states of Tamil Nadu, WestBengal, Kerala and Assam, announcing major infrastructure projects and welfareschemes in the Union Budget, the opposition termed it an "electionmanifesto" that ignored the rest of the country.
The BJP is fighting a high-voltage election battle in West Bengal to dislodgeMamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress government and is also aiming for a secondconsecutive term in Assam. The BJP is also trying to form a government in TamilNadu with alliance partner AIADMK and working hard to increase its numbers inthe Kerala Assembly where it has only one member.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed new highways projects of 3,500 kmsin Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 1.03 lakh crore, 1,100 kms of highways in Keralaat an investment of Rs 65,000 crore. In West Bengal, she proposed 675 kms ofhighways works at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore and over 1,300 kms of highways inAssam at Rs 34,000 crore.
Rajya Sabha member and Assam Congress chief, Ripun Bora tweeted, "So, theBJP government has made parliament the place to launch election manifestos forAssembly elections. This Budget is nothing more than an election manifesto fullof 'jumlas'!"
"Congratulations India, FM presents the election budget," Bora said.
BJP General Secretary and West Bengal in-charge, Kailash Vijayvargiya said thatthis year's Budget is an attempt to find a self-reliant India, newpossibilities of employment and business. "When the whole world isstruggling with a deteriorating economy, the new Budget under the leadership ofPrime Minister Narendra Modi has brought new hope," Vijayvargiya tweeted.
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Ernakulam in Kerala, Hibi Eden said that thewhole Budget exercise was turned into an "election drama" byannouncing major infra projects in poll-bound states while ignoring the rest ofthe country.
"All the infrastructure projects are announced to reap political benefitsin Assembly polls in four states to be held in coming two or three months. Evenwhile announcing welfare schemes for poll-bound states, the BJP government hasfailed to include tea workers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the schemeannounced for tea workers of West Bengal and Assam," said first-time MPEden. The Budget proposed Rs 1,000 crore for welfare scheme for tea workers ofAssam and West Bengal.
Budgetary announcements were made for Kochi Metro rail phase II and ChennaiMetro rail phase II. Eden alleged that funds for phase II of Kochi Metroannounced by UPA government were stalled and made part of Budget of 2021-22."People are expecting announcement of phase-III of Kochi Metro rail butthe BJP government announced budgetary provisions for phase-II," Edenadded.
Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien said that India's first paperless Budget is also a100 per cent "visionless" Budget.
"Theme of the fake budget is 'Sell India!' Railways: sold, Airports: sold,Ports: sold, Insurance: sold, PSUs: 23 sold! Common people ignored. Farmersignored. Rich get richer, nothing for the middle class, poor get poorer,"O'Brien tweeted.
Referring to 675-km highway work in West Bengal, Brien further tweeted,"What Bengal did yesterday, Centre only talks today, Budget '21 promise -625 km roads in WB, WB government (2018) - new roads of 5,111 km, No one in India.Plus 1,165 km roads in 2019."
Talking about promotion of seaweed farming, Sitharaman announced setting up ofa multi-purpose seaweed park in Tamil Nadu. DMK Lok Sabha MP from Namakkal inTamil Nadu, A.K.P Chinraj told the IANS that these Budget proposals are just anannouncement and in reality there is nothing on the ground to execute theseprojects.
"Announcements are made with an eye on upcoming Assembly polls includingTamil Nadu to grab power in these states. They will forget all the Budget proposalsonce the Assembly polls get over," Chinraj added.