Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, dubbed the Union Budget a "kursi bachao budget" and claimed that it makes "hollow promises" to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allies at the cost of other states. The senior Congress leader also claimed that the budget was a "copy and paste" job of the Congress manifesto for the 2024 polls and previous budgets.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget for 2024–25. It was her seventh straight presentation, surpassing the record of former prime minister Morarji Desai. This is the first budget in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's third term in office.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, " 'Kursi Bachao' Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets."

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called it a disappointing budget and said that it was meant only to save the government's chair.

"The expectation we had for MSP on crops and subsidy on pesticides has not been met...So many accidents are happening in Railways but improvement of railway tracks or passenger safety not focused upon...," Kharge said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the government over the budget and said that there was very "little to cheer about" as it has failed to address the issues of common people and only the two states of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh gained and other states did not.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid out nine priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, with a focus on employment, skilling, agriculture and manufacturing.These are: Agriculture, employment, inclusive development, manufacturing and services, urban development, energy, infrastructure, innovation R&D and next-generation reforms.The Finance Minister also announced a reduction in customs duty on mobile phones and mobile chargers to 15 per cent.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday dubbed the Union Budget 2024-25 as "politically biased and anti-poor" and slammed the Centre for "depriving" the state.

The chief minister wondered what wrong West Bengal committed that it had been "deprived" by the Centre.

"Bengal has been completely deprived in this Union budget. This doesn't look into the interest of the poor. The budget is politically biased. This is directionless and has no vision. It is only to serve a political mission," she told reporters on the state assembly premises.

(With input from agencies)