'Kursi bachao, appease cronies': LoP Rahul Gandhi launches scathing attack at Narendra Modi-led BJP over 2024 Budget, calls it 'copycat budget'

In a sharp and pointed critique, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has condemned the latest Union Budget, branding it as a “Kursi Bachao” budget. 

Today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th budget, which contained significant sops to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, the two states from where the BJP's allies, JDU and TDP, come from.

His tweet, which has generated significant buzz, argues that the budget is more focused on safeguarding political positions than addressing the country’s pressing economic needs. Gandhi’s assessment highlights three major flaws he perceives in the budget:

1. Appeasing Allies: Gandhi accuses the government of using the budget as a tool to appease its political allies with hollow promises. According to him, these promises are more about securing loyalty than delivering substantial benefits to the states that truly need support. By prioritizing the demands of political partners, the budget, he argues, neglects the broader requirement for balanced and equitable development across all regions.

2. Favoring Cronies: The Congress leader further criticizes the budget for favoring select cronies and corporate allies at the expense of ordinary citizens. He pointed out that substantial financial benefits have been directed towards a few privileged individuals and organizations, while the common Indian received minimal relief. 

3. Copy and Paste Approach: Gandhi’s criticism also extends to the budget’s apparent lack of originality. He accused the government of using ideas from the Congress Manifesto, which the party presented during the Lok Sabha elections 2024. 

Earlier in the day, former FM P. Chidambaram too accused the BJP of copying ideas from the Congress Manifesto, especially over the employment schemes which the present budget contained.

Gandhi’s remarks come at a time when public dissatisfaction with the government’s economic policies is on the rise. His critique underscores a broader frustration with what he views as a lack of genuine reform and a failure to address systemic issues affecting everyday citizens.

The Congress leader’s comments are likely to spark debate as the nation continues to grapple with economic uncertainties and growing demands for comprehensive and forward-thinking fiscal policies. 

Apart from Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too slammed the Narendra Modi-led NDA over the budget. 

In a detailed assessment, Kharge argued that the budget falls short in addressing key issues and instead serves as a tool for the NDA to sustain its political dominance.

Kharge contended that the budget fails to address the pressing concerns of India’s youth. Despite over a decade in power, the government has made only limited announcements regarding job creation, leaving many young job seekers disillusioned. The budget’s promises are criticized as insufficient to counter the growing frustration among the younger generation.

"The Modi Government's budget is distributing half-hearted "rewadis" to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for "progress of the country", it is a "save Modi government" budget," he wrote on X.

The Congress President also highlighted the budget’s disregard for marginalized communities, including Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, minorities, and the rural poor. He contrasted this with the initiatives of the Congress-UPA and accused the Modi government of using the label “poor” as a mere branding exercise rather than implementing concrete measures for these groups.