Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday took a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led NDA government over the Union Budget 2024, expressing his satisfaction that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has acknowledged the Congress 2024 manifesto following the Lok Sabha election results.


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Sitharaman delivered the 2024-25 Budget, marking her seventh consecutive presentation, a feat surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. This Budget was the first under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.


In a post on social media platform X, Chidambaram said, "I am glad to know that the Hon'ble FM has read the Congress Manifesto LS 2024 after the election results. I am happy she has virtually adopted the Employment-linked incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto."


"I am also happy that she has introduced the Apprenticeship scheme along with an allowance to every apprentice spelt out on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto. I wish the FM had copied some other ideas in the Congress Manifesto. I shall shortly list the missed opportunities," he added.


The former finance minister also welcomed the news that the Finance Minister intends to eliminate the Angel Tax, a long-standing request by the Congress, most recently advocated in their manifesto on page 31.


Meanwhile, Congress leader Pawan Khera also criticized the central government's Union Budget 2024, labeling it as a 'copy-paste government'.


Taking to social media platform X, Khera wrote, "Impact of Congress manifesto on budget 2024-25 Nirmala Sitharaman had to resort to Congress Judicial 2024. The first youngest justice among the 5 justices of Congress First job is assured: Under Yuva Nyay, every degree/diploma holder will get a stipend of Rs 1 lakh. Provision of internship for only one crore youth in Budget 2024-25 Provision of sixty thousand rupees during internship Modi government should thank Congress for the idea."