Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday strongly criticized the Union Budget 2025-26, stating that it had left Karnataka with a "khaali chombu" (empty vessel) and failed to meet expectations. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he expressed disappointment over the lack of provisions for key state projects and accused the Centre of neglecting Karnataka’s contributions to the national economy.
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Siddaramaiah emphasized that Karnataka is the second-highest tax-paying state, yet it received a meager share from the budget. He claimed that multiple requests sent to the Centre, including those for crucial infrastructure and water projects, were completely ignored.
“The Union Budget, especially from Karnataka’s perspective, is highly disappointing and lacks vision. We had hoped for allocations towards major projects such as the Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery in Kanakapura, the Upper Bhadra water project, the Mahadayi and Krishna river irrigation projects, but none were considered,” he stated.
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{{/usCountry}}The Bengaluru region, which plays a crucial role in India's economy, also faced a setback, Siddaramaiah pointed out. "We had sought funds for stormwater drain improvements and business corridors, but the response from the Centre was nothing but ‘khaali chombu’ (empty vessel). In short, this budget has given Karnataka nothing,” he added.
Allegations of favoritism towards Bihar and Andhra Pradesh
The Chief Minister further alleged that the budget favored Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, attributing this to political considerations.
"There is a coalition government at the Centre, and for political reasons, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have been given special grants. Both states received packages last year and again this year, while Karnataka was left out," he said.
Siddaramaiah also speculated that Bihar might face a similar fate in the future. “I have a gut feeling that Bihar, too, will eventually receive the same ‘chombu’ treatment as Karnataka,” he remarked.
Minister Priyank Kharge criticizes budget, calls it hollow
Echoing similar sentiments, Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge dismissed the budget announcements as mere rhetoric, arguing that they would never be fulfilled.
"I had no expectations from this budget. We have seen this pattern for the past 10 years—big promises, but no real action. Under Modi’s leadership, unemployment has only worsened, despite these so-called ‘masterstrokes’," Kharge said while speaking to reporters in Hubballi.
Siddaramaiah admitted that he had not read the entire budget document or listened to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s full speech but insisted that he had reviewed the key highlights, which reinforced his disappointment.
With growing dissatisfaction from Karnataka leaders, the debate over resource allocation in the budget is expected to intensify in the coming days.