Left, Oppn call budget anti-people, pro-rich

Left says that the budget would lead to price hike and turn out to be a "fraud" on the 'aam admi'.

Left allies on Tuesday joined the opposition in slamming the 2006-07 Budget, saying it was "anti-people and pro-rich" and that the exercise would lead to price hike and turn out to be a "fraud" on the

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'aam admi'.

Former Prime Minister and NDA Chairperson Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the budget provisions would lead to spiralling prices, hit the common man hard and there was nothing to cheer about for the farmers.

"This budget has deceived the common man. The tax system is regressive. Heavy concessions have been granted to the corporate sector and spending on education and healthcare has not been increased to the expected levels," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters.

In the same vein, his CPI(M) colleague Basudeb Acharia said the UPA government has not paid any heed to the suggestions given by the Left parties on resource mobilisation and continued to burden the common people to raise resources and was "a regressive budget".

Hitting out at the Centre, BJP leader VK Malhotra said the budget would further increase prices and was against development and growth.