Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026-27, saying it “failed the test of economic strategy and economic statesmanship.” He argued the Budget did not tackle major challenges identified in the Economic Survey, lacked a coherent fiscal roadmap and showed weak fiscal consolidation. Chidambaram also pointed to shortfalls in revenue and capital expenditure, unmet job creation promises and cuts in key social sector allocations as evidence of poor financial management.
Opposition parties echoed his view, describing the Budget as directionless and blind to real economic crises, and accused it of ignoring core issues facing exporters, MSMEs and employment.