NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday alleged that the opposition was making all attempts to discredit the NDA regime at the Centre, adding that they should have out forth their stand with regard to the presentation of the Union Budget earlier.
“The Opposition cannot decide. The Opposition will say anything and everything to try and discredit our party. But we have taken a stand and this was a pre-announced thing and they should have clarified it much earlier,” he told ANI.
Swamy, however, said that they have every right to approach the Election Commission in this regard.
“Our government has taken a stand that they will present the budget as per decision on February 1. And their arguments have also been given why budget is outside the Model Code. But the only place where you can take and get relief is the Election Commission because the Election Commission is supposed to implement the Model Code,” said Swamy.
“So, they have to decide. I naturally am in no position to say what the Election Commission will decide,” he added.
Another BJP leader Nalin Kohli maintained that the Union Budget would be announced by the Finance Minister on February 1 and added that there was no confusion about the same.
“In a democracy, everyone’s entitled to a point of view, convey that point of view. Political parties obviously have a right to approach the honourable Election Commission for anything that they may want to present before it,” Kohli told ANI.
“With regard to the budget, the Union Budget will be presented on February 1 by the Finance Minister of the country Mr Arun Jaitley. There is no confusion about that,” he added.
Condemning the ruling BJP’s decision to present the annual budget before the assembly elections in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab, the Congress has said that it would influence the voters’ decision.
“This is incorrect, the budget has some positive and negative impact on the people and it may comprise of lucrative deal which is quite visible,” said Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.
Dikshit said the decision taken by the BJP-led NDA Government indicates they think that they are above everything and do not believe in any norms.
“The protest over this issue is expected, as the BJP is announcing budget days before the assembly polls. Earlier also, a similar incident took place, at that time Pranab Mukherjee was the Finance Minister and the budget was presented after the polls,” he said.
Meanwhile, a united opposition has reached the Election Commission’s office here to discuss about the date of the Budget Session.
"Trinamool, Congress, SP, BSP, JDU, RJD & some other Oppn parties to meet Election Commission 11am. Subject : budget date too close to polls," TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien tweeted earlier.
The Budget Session of Parliament, which will begin from February 1, is being advanced as the government wants early allocation of funds for various schemes from April 1, the beginning of the next financial year.
The Election Commission yesterday announced seven-phase polling for 403 assembly constituencies in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, two-phase polling in Manipur and one-phase polling each in the states of Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa respectively.
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said that the counting of votes in all the five states will take place on March 11.