Cong will face budget heat in civic polls: BJP

Expressing his reaction over the Union Budget 2012-13, Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra, on Friday said the budget is not only anti-people and anti-poor but also full of disappointments for Delhiites. Malhotra believes that people of Delhi will repay the compliment for the backbreaking budget in the forthcoming municipal elections.

“While the people of entire nation including Delhiites are reeling under the unprecedented price rise, this year’s budget has enhanced the service tax and excise duty as the last straw to break the very backbone of the common man. Congress should be ready to face the consequences in all the forthcoming elections including the municipal polls,” said Malhotra.

With the hike in the price of cement and steel, the government has shattered the dreams of poor people to get their own pucca houses, added Malhotra.

Delhi has always got a special package in the budget, but not this year, he said.

“People are not ignorant anymore. They know what this government is doing and they will pay for its deeds,” added Malhotra.

However, contrary to Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s opinion, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Jai Prakash Agarwal, MP, hailed the budget for being development-oriented and said it will strengthen the financial muscle of the country.

“This is a common man's budget. It will provide great relief to farmers, middle class, labour, lower class and the poor, as there is something for everyone in the budget, which is truly welfare-oriented. The concession given to income tax payees will provide relief to the salaried middle class in particular,” said Agarwal adding that the budget will help the country race ahead on the developmental front.

People of Delhi want development and the budget has provided that, said Agarwal. “People of Delhi will vote for Congress in the municipal elections,” he said.