TMC's Banerjee Criticizes Centre Over 'Subscription-Based Federalism'

In a fiery address, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee took the Centre to task, alleging neglect of West Bengal in the Union Budget 2026. He accused the ruling party of practicing what he termed 'subscription-based federalism', asserting that the federal structure promised in the Constitution demands equality among all states.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Banerjee highlighted that West Bengal wasn't mentioned once during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's 85-minute budget speech. Reminding the house of the promised but long-delayed freight corridor from Dankuni, he raised concerns about preferential funding methods that leave opposition-ruled states bereft of resources.

Simultaneously, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav spoke against regional development disparities under BJP governance, questioning the absence of bullet train projects in states like West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Both leaders called for a focus on equitable development and governance.