Budget 2018: Chidambaram says Jaitley failed, consequences will follow

New Delhi: Opposition leaders tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's last full Budget presented today, with most voicing concerns over the mounting fiscal deficit.

Former Finance Minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram said: "The Finance Minister has failed fiscal consolidation test, this failure will have serious consequences."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted his contempt for the newly-presented Union budget.

"4 years gone; still promising FARMERS a fair price. 4 years gone; FANCY SCHEMES, with NO matching budgets. 4 years gone; no JOBS for our YOUTH. Thankfully, only 1 more year to go," he tweeted.

Congress leader and former Union Minister Manish Tiwari dismissed the Budget quite openly.

"After servicing the capitalists, oligarchs and Khas Aadmi for four years suddenly government feels that it can fool the farmer, the labourer, the small artisan, the salaried professional that it cares about them too in an election year. Hell hath no fury like a nation scorned," he said.

Piyush Goyal, BJP leader and Railway Minister, retaliated to this saying, "Congress is forgetting that in the year before 2009 election the Congress party had allowed fiscal deficit situation to deteriorate from 2.9% to over 5% within the same year. If that is fiscal prudence then we will have to revisit the definition of fiscal prudence in India."

Former Prime Minister of India HD Dewe Gowda's reaction was welcoming but apprehensive. Praising the finance minister for his attempts to improve economic conditions, the Janata Dal leader said, "...the problems of farmers and rural people are enormous. Measures may not be sufficient."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which currently holds fort in Delhi, was also critical of the budget.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP top boss Arvind Kejriwal said, "I had expected some financial assistance to important infrastructure projects for national capital. Am disappointed that Centre continues its step-motherly treatment to Delhi."

Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia played it along the same lines as his superior.

Also read: Union Budget 2018: Key highlights

"Delhi police comes under the Centre. Yet no plans or schemes announced to tackle crime and issues of women safety that have made Delhi the crime capital of India. Highly disappointing," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee commented, "It's a negative, super flop and big bluff budget."

Communist Party of India (Marxist) expressed their criticism of the budget in multiple tweets.

"Despite cutting capital expenditures & spending on social schemes in 2017-18 below budgeted figures, Govt unable to meet fiscal deficit target of 3.2% of GDP. #Budget2018 What the budget & Finance Minster's speech show, much like the rhetoric around #Demonetization, is the inclination of the current Govt to make a direct assault on common people & then claim it to be for their good. A Govt addicted to #PostTruth. #BudgetLies," the party wrote.