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Budget 2024: Opposition MPs from Kerala term Union Budget an exercise in political survival
Congress-led UDF Opposition MPs from Kerala say 2024 Union Budget is devoid of national character and is a total disappointment for non-NDA-ruled States
Revolutionary Socialist Party leader N.K. Premachandran, MP (file)
| Photo Credit: S. MAHINSHA
Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition MPs from Kerala have termed the 2024 Union Budget of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government “an exercise in political survival” that is devoid of national character and a total disappointment for non-NDA-ruled States.
Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader N.K. Premachandran, MP, told reporters in New Delhi on July 23 that the “Naidu-Nitish Dependant Alliance” has announced largesse for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to remain in power. The alliance has brutally ignored and discriminated against non-BJP-ruled States, particularly Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
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Mr. Premachandran said the Budget lacked a national character. He termed it “narrow-minded, anti-federal and crafted to provide a political lifeline to hang on to power.”
Mr. Premachandran said the BJP in Kerala had campaigned on the platform that the State would get significant budgetary dividends if the party opened an account in the Lok Sabha elections.
‘Pipe dream’
He said BJP’s Suresh Gopi, MP, from Thrissur, swore on the campaign trail that he would make All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) a reality for the State. “However, despite Mr. Gopi’s campaign assurances, the Modi government thought Kerala did not deserve a mention in the Budget. AIIMS and other projects, including in the tourism sector, promised by the BJP remain a pipe dream and mere wishful thinking”, he said.
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“Even the announcements for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh ring hollow. The Central government has not declared any new allocations but has merely regurgitated past allocations for ongoing schemes. The NDA has hoodwinked even its close allies,” Mr Premachandran said.
Mr. Premachandran slammed the Central government for not declaring any special relief packages for Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which had faced catastrophic floods and prolonged droughts.
Mr. Premchandran said the Budget remained silent on mitigating unemployment or generating new jobs. It failed to address inflation, price rises, and the cost-of-living crisis. The outlay for public health, education and women’s empowerment remained meagre.
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