Opposition Slams AAP’s Punjab Budget 2025-26, Calls It Visionless and Disappointing

• Mar 26, 2025

Opposition parties in Punjab—Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)—came down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Wednesday, criticising the recently announced ₹2.36 lakh crore Budget for the financial year 2025-26. They accused the government of ignoring critical issues and failing to deliver on major poll promises.

Describing the Budget as a “disappointment” for the people of Punjab, the opposition leaders said it lacks relief measures and does not offer meaningful solutions to the state’s growing challenges.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring slammed the Budget for lacking direction and failing to address core infrastructure needs. He alleged that the AAP government had simply rebranded central government schemes without bringing anything original or impactful to the table. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Warring called the Budget a “defeatist” exercise. “AAP seems to have accepted its inevitable defeat and is now punishing the people of Punjab with a pre-emptive revenge,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa criticised the government’s plan to conduct a drug census under its 'Yudh Nashe De Virudh' (War Against Drugs) campaign. He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and all 117 MLAs first undergo drug testing through an independent agency, not under the state government, to set an example. Bajwa also questioned the transparency of the campaign, suggesting a more accountable approach is needed to tackle drug addiction effectively.

BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, echoed the criticism, likening the Budget to “empty vessels making the loudest noise.” He accused the AAP government of betraying the public by failing to implement its flagship promise of providing ₹1,000 per month to women. Bittu also pointed out the alarming rise in state debt, noting that AAP has added nearly ₹1 lakh crore to Punjab’s debt in just a few years—almost equal to the ₹3 lakh crore accumulated over the past three decades. He further condemned the government's inaction on issues like crime and drug trafficking.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal also launched a scathing attack on the AAP government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing them of betraying the trust of the people. Badal said the Budget had let down every segment of society, including farmers, women, youth, business owners, government employees, and the underprivileged. He charged the AAP leadership with going back on all its promises and failing to bring any real benefit to the state.