“Budget of Cuts, Debt and Deception”: BJP Leaders Launch Scathing Attack on Himachal Budget 2026–27
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Shimla, March 21, 2026:
Senior BJP leaders and Members of Parliament launched a sharp and coordinated attack on the Himachal Pradesh Budget 2026–27, terming it a “directionless, deceptive and financially weak document” that reflects the deteriorating economic condition of the state.
Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan described the ₹54,928 crore budget as a “budget of cuts and debt burden,” pointing out that it is significantly lower than last year’s ₹58,514 crore, indicating a shrinking economy. He alleged that the government has been forced to defer salaries due to financial mismanagement. “This is not a development-oriented budget, but a document of financial bankruptcy,” he remarked.
Echoing similar concerns, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sikander Kumar accused the government of repeating “false guarantees,” stating that none of the major promises have been fulfilled in the past three years. He said the deferment of salaries ranging from 3% to 50% clearly reflects the fragile financial health of the state. “If the government cannot pay salaries, how will it deliver development?” he questioned.
Lok Sabha MP Suresh Kashyap criticized the budget for neglecting farmers and the poor. He said that announcements regarding MSP for milk and crops remain largely on paper, with no real benefits reaching farmers. He also termed the promise of 300 units of free electricity for one lakh poor families as an “election stunt,” adding, “There is only a crop of announcements, but farmers’ fields remain dry.”
Union Minister and MP Anurag Thakur accused the Congress government of pushing Himachal Pradesh into a “debt trap,” forcing measures like salary deferment. He said the budget lacks a concrete economic roadmap and relies heavily on publicity rather than real development. “This is not a budget, but Congress’s management of failure,” he stated.
Lok Sabha MP Dr. Rajeev Bhardwaj also questioned the government’s priorities, stating that while salaries are being withheld in the name of fiscal discipline, there is no clarity on expenditure planning. “A government that seeks sacrifice from the public is itself avoiding accountability,” he said.
MP Kangana Ranaut expressed disappointment over what she called “unfulfilled promises” made to women and youth. She said that financial assistance schemes and employment commitments have remained announcements on paper. “This budget symbolizes disappointment and deception, not hope,” she added.
The BJP leaders collectively alleged that the budget focuses more on announcements and political messaging rather than delivering tangible outcomes, and warned that the public will hold the government accountable.
