every-budget-under-modi-govt-is-a-poll-package-raut-on-bihar-focus

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday accused the Modi government of presenting each Union Budget as an election package, with the 2025 Budget no different.

 

Raut highlighted that the government’s focus on Bihar ahead of the state elections later this year confirmed his claim.

“The election is due in Bihar – Modi government's every budget is an election package. This time there is an election in Bihar, and hence they have allocated the maximum amount to Bihar,” Raut told media persons in Mumbai.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech on Saturday, announced several incentives for Bihar, including the development of Greenfield airports and the expansion of Patna Airport. A brownfield airport will also be constructed in Bihta.

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Additionally, Sitharaman flagged the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in Mithilanchal, which will provide financial support for farming over 50,000 hectares of land in the region.

These announcements sparked criticism from opposition parties, with many accusing the Centre of using the Budget to court voters in Bihar.

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal condemned the focus on Bihar while ignoring Punjab. She accused the government of failing to address the needs of farmers, especially those who have been protesting over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) issue for four years.

“Look at the names of the states - Bihar, which is going to elections. Only Bihar, Bihar, Bihar. There was no mention of Punjab. Farmers are sitting in protest for the past 4 years over legal guarantee for MSP. What did they announce for farmers? Makhana Board. This was an anti-farmer Budget. Farmers who are fighting for their rights were not heard, this is sad,” Badal said.

Congress MP Manish Tewari also expressed dissatisfaction, suggesting that the Union Budget was skewed towards Bihar at the cost of other states.

“I fail to understand that was this a budget of government of India or was this a budget of government of Bihar? Have you heard the name of another state than Bihar in the entire budgetary speech of the Union finance minister?” Tewari said.