Interim Budget Presented By Nirmala Sitharaman "Last": Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed that the interim budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was the "last" budget of the Narendra Modi government, asserting that it won't return to power after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing party workers in Raigad district, adjoining Mumbai, Mr Thackeray also accused the BJP of misusing government machinery as its "house helps", a day after the Enforcement Directorate arrested former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on money laundering charges.

"The Modi government presented its last budget. I want to thank the finance minister because she did it with a very heavy heart and presented the last budget," Mr Thackeray said.

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Ms Sitharaman on Thursday presented her sixth straight budget, ahead of the Parliamentary elections, announcing a Rs 11.11 lakh crore spending on infrastructure and vowing to continue reforms.

The pre-election budget, which technically is a vote on account and popularly termed an interim Budget, was presented to meet the Centre's essential expenditure for the first four months of the new fiscal year that starts in April. A new government elected after the April/May general elections will present the full Budget, likely in July.

"This interim budget is an opportunity to give assurances. It is impossible for the Modi government to come to power. This is its last budget," Mr Thackeray asserted.

Mr Thackeray said the Modi government has finally realised that the country has "these four groups, namely the poor, women, youth and farmers".

During the day Mr Thackeray visited different assembly segments in Raigad Lok Sabha constituency. The seat, which is currently represented by Sunil Tatkare of Ajit Pawar-led NCP group, was won by the undivided Shiv Sena several times.

Last month, Mr Thackeray visited the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat, which is represented by Shrikant Shinde, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided) had contested 41 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the 2019 elections, and won 23 and 18, respectively. The state sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

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