The initial Budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term suggests that the government is working with a strategic, forward-looking approach. The Budget has given clear indications that the NDA will retain its strength, while announcements will be made in accordance with election preparations. This Budget aims to address unemployment and farmers’ issues raised by the opposition, and has effectively garnered support from allies, weakening opposition stance. The budget seems to have affected the plans of the opposition extensively. Congress has strongly criticized the budget and also also accused BJP of stealing their announcements.
The way Budget has created stir can be seen by the way Congress is reacting. On Wednesday, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi met with a delegation of farmers, emphasizing Congress’s continued advocacy. In Parliament, Congress sought to highlight that the budget primarily consists of announcements. This budget carries significant importance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he leads a coalition government for the first time, where allies play a crucial role in governance.
In the budget, the government pleasantly surprised allies TDP and JDU with more than expected allocations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dashed opposition hopes decisively. The budget provided a significant boost to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his party, with more than Rs 59,000 crores earmarked for development.
This strengthened the alliance ahead of potential Bihar elections this year. Despite opposition attempts to confuse Nitish Kumar on the special state issue, they backfired, solidifying his commitment to contest elections with BJP. Similarly, the special package for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu has strengthened their relationship. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark on pleasing allies’ expresses PM Modi’s strategic move.
The government’s assertive stance in the 18th Lok Sabha’s first session may deter opposition attempts to destabilize it. Focus on generating four crore jobs for youth and rural development highlights BJP’s electoral priorities in upcoming state elections. The budget’s provisions for farmers, youth, and rural areas emphasize BJP’s strategic focus on election-bound states like Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand.
Along with this, it was important for the government to solve even the smaller issues. That is why the government paid special attention to farmers, unemployment and development of rural areas. Immediately after this budget session, assembly elections are to be held in three states and by-elections in some states including Uttar Pradesh. Assembly elections are to be held in October-November in all the three states of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, while by-elections are to be held in some states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In these states, farmers and youth are important voters of rural areas. The government was aware that the displeasure of farmers and youth was a huge problem in the Lok Sabha elections. That is why the NDA government seems to have prepared the budget accordingly. The opposition was expecting that the Modi government would get trapped in the trap of allies, but this did not happen. This was a big shock for the opposition.
The opposition’s behavior, particularly that of Congress during the initial session of the 18th Lok Sabha and subsequent efforts to destabilize the government, is likely to subside following this budget. The government’s assertive approach is now apparent. Plans to create four crore jobs for youth over the next five years and a focus on rural development are key priorities. The budget’s special allocations for farmers, youth, and rural areas underscore BJP’s concentrated efforts on states heading to polls. The upcoming elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand hold significant importance for BJP, with a potential resurgence in Maharashtra providing additional strength to PM Modi. As the budget phase concludes, attention shifts to how BJP strategists will communicate these initiatives to the public.