Bhopal, Feb 18 (NationPress) With the presentation of the annual budget for 2026-27 by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Madhya Pradesh, the opposition Congress has sharply criticized Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. They raised doubts over his grasp of economic matters and questioned his capability to restore the state’s crumbling financial framework.

Jitu Patwari, the state Congress president, reacted to the budget by stating that the economic structure of Madhya Pradesh is in ruins, asserting that “Chief Minister Mohan Yadav does not have the competence to revive it.” He emphasized that the Chief Minister’s “character” and his “operating methods” are irrelevant to the health of the state’s economy.

Following the budget announcement by Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, Patwari held a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Bhopal, claiming that Madhya Pradesh's economic condition has severely declined.

“Mohan Yadav simply does not possess the skills to enhance the state's economic landscape. His demeanor and thought process are misaligned with the economic system. This requires a specific expertise that is absent in Mohan Yadav, and today's budget has illustrated that,” he remarked.

Patwari highlighted the escalating debt burden on Madhya Pradesh, noting that the government accrued approximately Rs 72,000 crore in the past year, exacerbating the economic turmoil.

“The Chief Minister must boldly claim the state’s rightful share of taxes from the central government. If our CM struggles with financial matters, a coalition of experts from various parties should be established to oversee the budget’s income and expenditure. Failing to do so could lead to uncontrollable circumstances,” he advised.

Umang Singhar, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, commented on the budget, pointing out that the Finance Minister's (Jagdish Devda) address indicated that the fiscal deficit might surpass Rs 74,000 crore.

“This budget is nothing more than a collection of announcements. If the government is financially constrained, where will the funds come from to execute the proposed projects? The BJP pledged to double farmers’ incomes, yet the budget lacks a coherent strategy, plan, or timeline. Farmers continue to struggle with expenses and debts,” Singhar stated.

He further noted that the government overlooked the demand from MLAs for increased development funds. “MLAs from various parties requested an increase of Rs 2 crore in their funds to facilitate development work in their areas. By ignoring this request, the government has shown disrespect not only to the MLAs but also to the sentiments of the Assembly Speaker,” Singhar added.