Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Shashank Koirala has remarked that the budget announced by the government on Saturday will lead to its downfall.

Speaking at a cadres’ training programme in Nawalparasi on Monday, Koirala said the government presented a populist budget so as to please everyone instead of prioritising the post-earthquake rebuilding.

He said that even the coalition partners of the government—CPN (Maoist Centre) and RPP—are dissatisfied with the budget. He added the NC will now formulate new strategy regarding the current government.

It was very unfortunate that the budget did not accorded necessary importance to reconstruction and increase productivity, he said. He further claimed that the budget simply distributed funds to various sectors at a time when the nation’s economy has been crippled by last year’s earthquake and the subsequent border blockade that lasted for nearly four months.

“Budget with huge debt will only increase poverty,” said Koirala.

 He also said that the local body election should be held only after finalising the issue of border demarcation.