Expectedly, Bharatiya Janta Party was not amused by the finance minister's annual financial exercise.
Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BJP spokesman said, "Vikas roknewala, mehngai lanewala budget hai.(It will halt growth and increase prices.)
"We certainly wanted some benefits for women, senior citizens and government employees. We are disappointed that the finance minister has ignored them," Malhotra said.
Harin Pathak, BJP member of Parliament from Ahmedabad and a businessman himself, said, "It's a routine budget. People are ignored. This Budget doesn't take people's lives one step further from where they were last year. This Budget will increase inflation and prices of goods."
"The finance minister is wrong when he quoted three businessmen's misuse of huge cash withdrawal provisions. He can't punish the whole country for a few peoples' abuses of provisions. He should have removed transaction taxes," Pathak added.
"Whenever the Budget comes, we should ask how is it going to help poor people and the salaried class? By increasing service tax he is not helping the middle class at all," he added.
"Marega aam aadmi. Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis ko hai fayda," he said. ( The common man will be hit. The Tatas, Ambanis and Birlas will benefit.)
He said this Budget is unlikely to increase per capita income of people because there is nothing to curtail expenditures.
Suresh Prabhu, former minister for power and a prominent industrialist said, "It will not displease everybody, but when the economy is strong we expected dynamism, which is missing. This Budget is static. Only in the education and health sectors, I see some major moves. The power sector is also ignored."
Importantly he said, "In this Budget, the infrastructure sector didn't get enough. What is missing most is new ideas to improve deliverables of policies. The prime minister is saying that deliverables should be improved, but the Budget has not addressed the issue."
Most politicians of the opposition party were heard saying the finance minister has passed the test, but not with distinction marks.
More from rediff