Union budget in Feburary, Congress fumes

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress has demanded holding of assembly elections ahead of the presentation of Union budget. It has strongly opposed the move of the union government to present its budget well in advance on February 1, ahead of the crucial elections in 5 important states including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttrakhand and Manipur.
"Instead of delaying the elections, we want the elections to be preponed.Also, code of conduct should be imposed immediately to prevent the incumbent government from doling out and squandering away precious resources for electoral purposes," Punjab Congress vice-president and the chief spokesperson Sunil Jakhar said in a statement issued on Monday.
Reacting to the media reports that the union government had got the permission from the Election Commission of India to present the budget on February 1, after which the elections will be held in 5 states, he said, it is unprecedented and a clear attempt to influence the outcome of the results.
"Presenting the union budget when election code of conduct is in force, defeats the very purpose of the code," Jakhar said, while asking, when normally the union budget was presented on February 28 or 29, what is the urgency of advancing the budget this year by a month. Besides, he pointed out, according to the normal schedule, the election process in all the five states will be completed in the month of February itself.
Congress chief spokesperson expressed surprise and said, "You can't even announce putting of a single brick during the imposition of the election code of conduct and here you are talking about presenting the union budget that concerns each and every citizen of this country which has full potential to swing public opinion for or against," he pointed out. Jakhar said the BJP-led NDA government is already resorting to desperate measures to improve its fortunes for the 2017 assembly elections.