‘Instead of politicising budget, he should…’: BJP’s Vijayendra attacks CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka unit chief B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday attacked the state government for slamming the Union Budget and said that instead of “politicising” the budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should convince the central government and bring more money to Karnataka.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the Union Budget 2024, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Tuesday said, “We don’t feel Kannadigas were heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting”.

“The central government, FM Nirmala Sitharaman and PM Modi have given so much to Karnataka. Thousands of crores have been given to infrastructure projects for metros and all the development projects. Despite that, repeatedly blaming PM Modi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman is unfair. So, instead of politicising the budget, the CM should convince the central government and bring more money to Karnataka”, Vijayendra told reporters. He further said that the Union budget laid a strong foundation for the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

BJP leader Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said that the budget that has been presented under the leadership of PM Modi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman is “progressive and promising.” “The fiscal deficit and overall economic growth have been strongly addressed for all the sectors, poor, farmers, youth and women. In the federal structure, all of us need to participate and 100 per cent utilisation of funds will happen”, Ashwath Narayan said.

Taking to his social media, X, Siddaramaiah wrote, “Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state’s demands. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don’t feel Kannadigas are heard, and hence, there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting”, added the Chief Minister.

“We have decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 as a mark of protest”, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also expressed disappointment with the Union Budget 2024, saying that no states ruled by opposition parties, including Karnataka, received any benefits. He said that he did not expect this from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her record seventh consecutive Union Budget 2024-25 today (on July 23) during the Budget Session of Parliament and made major announcements for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, including a boost in infrastructure and special financial support.

FM Sitharaman, in her seventh consecutive Union Budget for 2024-25, outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. The priorities include Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture, Employment and Skilling and services.

In her budget speech, Sitharaman introduced an increased standard deduction and revised tax rates for salaried individuals under the new tax regime. Sitharaman announced a significant set of income-tax reforms for the fiscal year 2024-25, aimed at simplifying tax laws, promoting compliance, and fostering economic growth. (ANI)