Eye on state polls, budget looks to woo middle class

BJP leaders said the feedback from their cadre on inflation and expectations on tax cuts played a key role in shaping the budget

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: The Union Budget's tax breaks for the middle class were given with an eye on upcoming assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar, and were an overture to a demographic that used to be a loyal vote bank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but whose lukewarm response contributed to the party's sub-par performance in the 2024 general elections, said leaders aware of discussions.

The BJP shrank from 303 seats in the Lok Sabha in 2019 to 240 in 2024, and needed support from smaller allies to form the government for a third consecutive time.

A senior party functionary said the BJP's electoral setbacks were "largely" on account of the Opposition's "false campaign" around the Constitution but also "partly" because of the middle classes staying away.

"Voter apathy was partly attributed to the anger among the salaried classes who complained of less money in hand...But under the leadership of PM Modi, the government has addressed this concern, proving that the party has its ears to the ground," the functionary said, requesting anonymity.