Maharashtra Congress state president Nana Patole on Saturday criticized the Union Budget 2025-26.
“There is no mention of farm loan waivers or minimum support price (MSP) in the BJP government’s budget. There are no concrete steps to curb inflation, unemployment, or boost job creation either,” Patole said.
“The GST burden still remains and there is no relief from tax terrorism. Some income tax benefits have been given only due to Lok Sabha election setbacks.
“If you have noticed, the stock market fell after the budget and that signals disappointment with the budget,” Patole said.
“While presenting the Union Budget for the eighth time, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made grand claims, but despite the glossy presentation, the budget remains unsatisfactory. It has failed to impress investors and has also left farmers, traders, and common citizens disappointed. There is no provision for farm loan waivers or any commitment to ensuring minimum support prices for agricultural produce. The Union Budget is merely a numbers game and a misleading financial exercise,” Patole said.
Patole stated that farmers across the country are struggling and protesting for fair prices, yet the budget does not even mention their concerns.
“Maharashtra has the highest number of farmer suicides, and despite growing demands for loan waivers, the BJP government has ignored them. Raising the Kisan Credit Card limit from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh will not bring significant relief to farmers. Inflation is soaring, unemployment is at record levels, and there is no concrete plan for job creation.
“The announcement of no income tax upto Rs 12 lakh seems more like a political move. The BJP had aimed to cross 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections but was halted at 240, forcing this announcement,” Patole said.
“The budget has also reduced funding for the MGNREGA scheme, which provides employment to the rural poor. Additionally, crucial sectors like healthcare and education have not received adequate financial support. In 2014, the BJP promised to create 2 crore jobs annually, but over the last 11 years, not only has it failed, but unemployment has reached its worst level in 45 years. There is no concrete policy on job creation in this budget.
Furthermore, there are no significant incentives for middle-class homebuyers, and GST rates remain unchanged,” Patole said.
Patole accused Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of giving with one hand while taking away with the other hand.
“The budget repeatedly mentions Bihar but ignores states like Maharashtra. With Bihar assembly elections approaching, the finance minister seems to have deliberately focused on that state. The immediate negative reaction of the stock market post-budget indicates that it has failed to meet expectations,” Patole said.