CMs, opposition leaders of South Indian states slam Budget; Puducherry CM hails it

CHENNAI: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan were unanimous in their view that the Union Budget was a “political exercise” aimed at ensuring the survival of the BJP-led NDA coalition at the Centre. They criticised the budget for making no mention of Kerala or its requirements.

Nirmala gave ‘chombu’ to Karnataka: CM

Terming the Union Budget 2024-25 as “disappointing,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the state has been totally neglected. “As Nirmala Sitharaman is the Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, we had expected her to do justice for the state and hoped that she would protect the interests of the state, but she has disappointed and done injustice to the people of Karnataka,” he said. “In this budget Nirmala has given Karnataka ‘chombu’ (a small, round water container). Karnataka got nothing,” Siddaramaiah said.

Naidu-Nitish Dependent Alliance: Revanth

Stating that the Union Budget has completely ignored Telangana, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the NDA government at the Centre was not just discriminating against the state but exhibiting “bias.” Stating that NDA means “Naidu-Nitish Dependent Alliance,” Reddy, who came down heavily on the NDA government, described the Union Budget as “kursi bachao budget (budget to save chair)” as it sought to please NDA partners TDP and JD(U) only. The CM also demanded that Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is the state BJP president, quit his post over the “injustice” done to the state.

Good for all sections, says Rangasamy

Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday hailed the Budget and said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had come out with several schemes and plans for people. Rangasamy, who heads the AINRC-BJP coalition government in the union territory said, “The welfare of all sections will improve under the provisions of the Central Budget announced by Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.” The youth, women, tribal population, farmers and the downtrodden would witness, “massive improvement in their welfare in keeping with the various schemes and programmes announced in it,” he said.

BJP cheated AP again: Congress, YSRCP

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila on Tuesday said the Union Budget made no mention of the special category status for the state and alleged that the BJP-led NDA at the Centre has cheated it again. “They (Centre) said they will honour bifurcation promises but there was no mention of SCS. Wasn’t SCS the foremost of all. In Tirupati, (Narendra) Modi promised to give special status for 10 years,” she said. The opposition YSRCP slammed the Centre and said it had given a ‘zero’ to AP. “Yellow media and TDP have been making noise since morning saying that Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated to AP. But the Centre says it will give guarantee to AP to raise Rs 15,000 cr as a loan,” the YSRCP said.