The opposition collectively criticized the budget for being election-driven, disproportionately favoring Bihar, and neglecting critical national issues such as unemployment, MSP for farmers, infrastructure development, and social welfare schemes.
While some welcomed tax relief for the middle class, they viewed it as a political maneuver rather than a long-term economic strategy.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor welcomed the government's tax cuts but criticized the budget for failing to address unemployment. He noted that while middle-class taxpayers might benefit from reduced taxes, the real issue is job creation, which the budget ignored entirely.
He also accused the Modi government of using budget allocations as a tool for election freebies, despite advocating for "one nation, one election." He pointed out the irony of BJP’s strategy, saying that if they continue this trend, frequent elections may serve to benefit poll-bound states more than the nation as a whole.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav dismissed the budget, stating that the deaths during the Maha Kumbh stampede were more important than the government’s fiscal figures.
He accused the BJP-led government of failing to manage arrangements for one of Hinduism's biggest festivals, questioning their claims of being a party for Hindus.
He also alleged that the government was underreporting the actual death toll and neglecting the concerns of those affected by the tragedy.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi praised the budget, calling it a victory for the middle class.
She linked the tax relief to BJP’s losses in the Lok Sabha elections, suggesting that the demand for tax cuts had been ignored for ten years and was finally granted due to electoral pressure.
She also pointed out the Bihar-centric nature of the budget, joking that if elections were held every year, Bihar might continue to receive special benefits.
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal strongly condemned the budget, calling it "anti-farmer" and highlighting its neglect of Punjab.
She criticized the government for ignoring the ongoing farmers' protests and failing to provide a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), despite farmers demanding it for four years.
The only agriculture-related announcement, she noted, was the formation of a Makhana Board, which she found inadequate. She accused the government of prioritizing Bihar over other states, saying Punjab was completely ignored.
Congress MP Manish Tewari echoed Badal's concerns, questioning whether the budget was meant for the entire country or just Bihar.
He pointed out that the Union Finance Minister’s speech heavily favored Bihar, with no substantial mention of other states.
He criticized the budget for its disproportionate allocation of funds to a single state, implying that this was done to influence voters in upcoming elections.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram advised caution before celebrating the budget, stating that past promises needed to be evaluated before accepting new ones.
He pointed out that many schemes announced in previous budgets had not been implemented effectively, and questioned whether the newly announced schemes would suffer the same fate.
He also criticized the government for designing budgets around election cycles, noting that many of the proposed initiatives would only be completed after 2029, beyond the current government's term.
Congress leader Kumari Selja accused the BJP of tailoring the budget to upcoming elections in Bihar and Delhi.
She claimed that the budget ignored key national issues like MSP for farmers, nuclear energy projects, housing for the poor, and employment schemes like MNREGA.
She further alleged that the BJP was using the budget as a tool to sustain its coalition government rather than focusing on national development. She also criticized budget cuts in crucial sectors like education, transport, and rural development.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran dismissed the budget as a misleading attempt to attract voters ahead of the Delhi elections.
He highlighted inconsistencies in the Finance Minister’s tax announcements, noting that while she initially declared no tax on income up to ₹12 lakh, she later introduced a 10% tax slab for incomes between ₹8-12 lakh.
He criticized the budget for being complex and unclear, stating that middle-class taxpayers might not actually benefit as promised due to technicalities like TDS deductions.