Chidambaram Claims Budget Copies Congress Manifesto Ideas

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has taken a swipe at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, suggesting that she has borrowed ideas from the Congress manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

In a post on social media platform X, Chidambaram expressed his delight that Sitharaman has “read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024” and adopted several ideas, including the Employment-linked incentive (ELI) and Apprenticeship scheme with an allowance, which were outlined in the manifesto.

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He also welcomed the abolition of the Angel Tax, a long-standing demand of the Congress party. However, Chidambaram teased Sitharaman, saying he wished she had copied more ideas from the Congress manifesto.

Earlier, Sitharaman presented the Union Budget, outlining nine priorities of the Modi government, including employment, skilling, agriculture, and manufacturing. She emphasized the government’s focus on these areas, highlighting the need to raise productivity and develop climate-resilient varieties in agriculture research.

Chidambaram has promised to list the “missed opportunities” in the budget, implying that the government has not done enough to address certain issues. The exchange highlights the political banter between the ruling party and the opposition, with Chidambaram claiming that the government has borrowed ideas from the Congress manifesto.