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New Delhi, February 9, 2026 : The ninth day of the Budget Session of the Parliament of India witnessed sharp political exchanges on Monday as senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram launched a scathing attack on the Union Budget during the discussion in the Rajya Sabha.
Participating in the debate, Chidambaram described the Budget as forgettable, alleging that the Finance Minister had ignored commitments made in the previous year. He said the document lacked credibility and continuity, arguing that several assurances given to farmers, the middle class, and small businesses in last year’s Budget speech had not translated into tangible outcomes. According to him, the current Budget failed to acknowledge those unmet promises, leaving key sections of society disillusioned.
Chidambaram also questioned the government’s claims on economic growth and fiscal management, stating that headline figures masked deeper concerns related to unemployment, stagnant incomes, and rising prices. He maintained that parliamentary scrutiny was essential to hold the executive accountable for what he termed repeated gaps between announcements and delivery.
Meanwhile, political tension extended beyond the Budget debate. As per Congress sources, opposition parties are actively discussing whether to move a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The deliberations are reportedly linked to dissatisfaction over the conduct of proceedings and the handling of opposition interventions during the ongoing session.
Leaders from multiple opposition parties held informal consultations on the issue, though no final decision had been taken by Monday evening. Some leaders suggested that such a move would be considered only after broader consensus within the INDIA bloc, while others cautioned against escalating confrontation in the middle of the Budget Session.
The government, for its part, dismissed the criticism as politically motivated and reiterated that the Budget focused on long-term growth, infrastructure expansion, and fiscal stability. With several days of debate still remaining, the Budget Session is expected to continue witnessing heated exchanges both inside and outside Parliament.
