Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in his first reaction to Budget 2026, expressed disappointment, saying it lacked clarity and failed to mention Kerala by name.
Tharoor said the speech offered only “three or four headlines” and very few concrete details.
He pointed out that when the government announced an AIIMS for Ayurveda, it did not specify where it would be set up.
Ayurveda announcement raises questions
Tharoor said Kerala would be a natural choice for such an institute, given the state’s long and well-known tradition of Ayurveda.
“Kerala desperately needs it,” he said, adding that it was surprising the Finance Minister did not mention the state at all.
He also noted that while the speech referred to coconut production, Kerala’s name was still missing. Kerala is India’s largest producer of coconut, he said, suggesting that the reference indirectly pointed to the state.
However, cities like Varanasi and Patna were mentioned clearly, while Kerala was not.
‘Too Many Promises, Little Delivery’
Tharoor said a detailed document should have been released to explain the announcements properly.
Aiming for the government, he said its biggest problem was making big promises without proper implementation.
Akhilesh Yadav calls Budget out of touch
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticised the budget, calling it disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary people. He questioned how the government planned to build a developed India without giving enough importance to education.
“This budget is beyond the understanding of the poor,” he said, raising concerns about its impact on common citizens.
Congress reaction
Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla reacted cautiously, saying the real test would be whether the budget matched the standards of developed nations. He expressed hope that India would receive a fair, balanced, and inclusive budget that benefits everyone.
TMC says ‘Nothing new offered.’
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy completely rejected the Budget 2026, calling it disappointing and repetitive. He alleged that the Finance Minister had only repeated old announcements without offering anything new.
Roy also claimed that no state received meaningful benefits and said West Bengal was completely ignored in the budget.
