New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) When Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered her ninth Union Budget in Parliament, leaders from the Opposition voiced significant disappointment regarding its contents. They argue that the budget does not offer any relief or joy to the lives of everyday citizens, pointing out that farmers, the unemployed, and the general populace have been largely overlooked, with many states and crucial sectors being ignored.

Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted, "There was no mention of Kerala; it was quite disappointing. I would say that the specifics might be found in the budget documents. We haven't examined them yet and have only listened to the speech thus far. It contained very few crucial details that we require."

His party colleague, Ujjwal Raman Singh, criticized the budget for being uninspiring and lacking the capacity to motivate the nation.

"Farmers, the jobless youth, and especially Uttar Pradesh have been disregarded. Prayagraj was in need of a refinery and an AIIMS. People had hoped the budget would include something significant, but there was no reference. This seems to be either an election-focused budget or one catering to states with upcoming elections. Although explicit names weren’t mentioned, the majority of schemes seem directed at election-bound states," he remarked.

Congress leader Harish Rawat stated, "This budget seems overwhelmed by the vision of a developed India by 2047. It offers nothing for the underprivileged, farmers, or women."

Congress Rajya Sabha member Jebi Mather also criticized the budget for overlooking Kerala.

"It is deeply disappointing for Kerala. We anticipated specific initiatives and high-speed rail projects, but there was nothing. Kerala has been consistently overlooked, as it has been for years. We hoped at least some attention would be given, even if only as a political gesture, but that did not occur," she commented.

Another Congress MP, Shashikant Senthil, remarked that the budget lacked substantial policy direction.

"There is nothing in it that can be highlighted as a significant policy decision. It provides no substantial benefits for the average citizen, farmers, or MSMEs, aside from minor details related to customs duties and processes," he stated.

Congress MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari raised alarms regarding deeper economic issues.

"Structural challenges in the Indian economy remain unaddressed. The nominal GDP has been on a decline for the past decade, tax buoyancy is minimal, and revenue streams are constrained. Public capital expenditure has been raised again, indicating that private investment is stagnant. Foreign direct investment is also on the wane. Grand statements do not tackle these fundamental economic problems," he said.

Congress MP Imran Masood described the budget as lacking substance.

"There is nothing of significance in it. It fails to address the plight of farmers and does not consider the effects of tariffs on exporters. Exports have plummeted in regions like Moradabad and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, yet there is no support for exporters facing tariff obstacles," he commented.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malwinder Singh Kang echoed dissatisfaction.

"This budget has only delivered disappointment. The poor have not received any relief. If tourism is the topic, Punjab has been left out. Punjab and Haryana have been excluded from expressway initiatives as well. Overall, there is no reprieve from inflation," he stated.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Kumar Rai described the budget as perplexing and disappointing.

"I have listened to budgets for years, but I have never encountered such a confusing and disappointing one. There is nothing for anyone. This budget seems to be tailored for a select few corporate entities and merely read out in Parliament," he said.

Another Samajwadi Party MP, Neeraj Kushwaha Maurya, remarked that the budget neglects farmers and larger states.

"There are no concrete measures for farmers, and a major state like Uttar Pradesh is absent from this budget. Disappointment is widespread. The effects are evident in the stock and commodity markets. It appears that the budget has been constructed to favor the top five percent of the population, while the common man, the underprivileged, and farmers have been sidelined. Even MGNREGA has not received adequate budgetary support," he said.

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed her expectation for more from the Finance Minister during these turbulent global times.

"This is a disappointing budget. At a time when the world is facing challenges, I anticipated the Finance Minister to address key issues. Today, she donned a saree from Tamil Nadu, yet Tiruppur, which has been severely impacted, was not mentioned. Exporters and importers have also suffered. There is nothing for the average citizen. If the budget were truly visionary, the stock markets would not have reacted negatively," she said.

Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson Anand Dubey noted that the budget fails to instill confidence.

"The 2026–27 budget is disheartening and fails to bring happiness to ordinary people. We expected that since Nirmala Sitharaman was presenting the budget for the ninth time, she would offer something new. Instead, she simply read from the same prepared script. There was no relief in tax brackets and no meaningful mention of employment or startups," he concluded.