TMC MP Critiques 'AB Budget' for Favoring Andhra Pradesh, Bihar Post-Election

TMC MP Saugata Roy criticized the Union budget, labeling it 'AB Budget Andhra-Bihar,' and accused the BJP-led NDA of prioritizing these states due to recent electoral losses. He highlighted issues of unemployment, inflation, and financial stress, describing the government as fragile and the budget as a copy-paste job from Congress' Nyay Patra.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Thursday criticized the Union budget, accusing the BJP-led NDA of providing handouts to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar following its recent electoral losses. Speaking during a debate on the 2024 Budget, Roy said, 'A budget is supposed to present the future plans of the government, but this is a budget which is called AB Budget Andhra-Bihar. They have allotted Rs 59 thousand crore to Bihar and Rs 15 thousand crore to Andhra Pradesh for a new capital.'

Roy claimed that the BJP-led NDA was giving handouts to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar due to their electoral losses, characterizing the Central Government as 'fragile, like glass.' He suggested this fragility could lead to instability. 'Earlier, they didn't provide direct handouts to any section of society. The budget's change of course is a result of BJP's electoral reverses,' he said, adding that the government was 'shaky' and 'brittle.'

Highlighting widespread opposition, Roy listed several Chief Ministers, including those from Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, who have criticized the budget. He accused the government of copying Congress' Nyay Patra in their budget speech and cited data from the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy, which reported an unemployment rate of 9.2% in June 2024, with female unemployment reaching 18.5%.

Roy pointed to rising inflation as a significant issue, noting the annual consumer inflation rate in India had risen to 5.08% in June 2024, surpassing market expectations. He mentioned a study indicating that 34% of households are struggling to manage their expenses, underscoring financial stress in the country. 'One third of India is under severe financial stress,' he concluded. (ANI)