Shiv Sena dubs Budget as 'anti-poor', says promises made last year not fulfilled

The Centre may have been terming the Union Budget as 'comprehensive' and 'revolutionary', the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party's ally at the Centre, however, on Wednesday dubbed it as 'anti-poor' and said there was no need to present the Budget every year as the promises made in the last budget were not fulfilled yet.

Refraining from passing comments on the Budget, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray saw no reason to present the Budget every year.

"What is the need to present the Budget every year? And if you present the budget every year, do you explain how much was it implemented in a year?" Thackrey told ANI.

Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant, on the other hand, said, "There is nothing in this budget. The government has failed to taken in to account farmer's issues, jobs and poor."

Responding to a proposal made in the Budget which sought to limit anonymous funding to political parties to Rs. 2000, Sawant said," The BJP should first reveal all their donors. They should also reveal as to how much money was spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Lucknow."

The comments came a day after Prime Minister Modi, in a meeting, asked its allies to be supportive of the government's initiatives and the Budget.

Earlier, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Budget would bring the Indian economy at the number one position.

"It is a revolutionary budget in the history of India. This budget will bring our economy at the number one position. A lot of innovative ideas are implemented on this budget, it is a revolutionary change and this budget will bring transparency in politics. I believe that this budget will end black money and corruption," Gadkari told ANI.

Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, on the other hand, lauded Jaitley for announcing a cap on anonymous donations to political parties at Rs. 2000.

"The political reforms announced by the Finance Minister are long awaited. I think people of India were looking for a clean and transparent political funding. I am delighted that this is one big measure will help more and more people to join the political process without fear or favour. Donate liberally so that bad money can be removed from politics and only good honest money will help finance politics in future," Goyal told ANI.