Chennai, Feb 1 Terming the Union Budget for 2026–27 a document "without change or vision", DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi and CPI-M leader and Madurai MP Su Venkatesan on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union government, accusing it of betraying states heading into Assembly elections such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the Union Budget 2026-27.
As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, expectations were high for major announcements with Assembly elections due in several states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala. However, Opposition leaders said the Budget failed to deliver any meaningful proposals for these regions.
In a post on X, Kanimozhi described the Budget as a "disappointment without change".
In another post, she said that "even elections could not force the BJP government at the Centre to remember Tamil Nadu", alleging deliberate neglect of the state despite its significant contribution to the national economy.
Echoing the criticism, Su Venkatesan said the Budget was designed not to support Tamil Nadu but to exploit its natural resources. In a statement, the CPI-M MP termed it "the worst Budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman", adding that it reflected the Centre’s continued indifference to the needs and aspirations of southern States.
Venkatesan noted that while the Budget announced the construction of seven high-speed rail corridors connecting major cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, it made no mention of long-pending projects like the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail schemes. He also criticised the absence of fresh infrastructure announcements for Tamil Nadu and Kerala, despite repeated demands.
He expressed concern over the Centre’s proposal to establish special economic corridors for the exploration of rare earth minerals in mineral-rich states such as Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
According to him, these announcements amounted to "resource extraction without fair returns", undermining States’ rights over their own mineral wealth.
He alleged that the Union government had curtailed the State governments’ authority in mineral auctions while offering no corresponding financial benefits. Venkatesan further criticised the Budget for ignoring Siddha medicine, even as it announced initiatives related to Ayurveda, and for excluding Keezhadi from its archaeology-related proposals. "There is no commitment to people’s welfare or development. This Budget is deceptive on all counts," he said.
Both leaders asserted that the Budget lacked any positive, people-centric measures and accused the Centre of prioritising political control over cooperative federalism.
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