Prabhu gets thumbs-up from unexpected quarter; SP chief Mulayam praises rail budget 2015

New Delhi, Feb 26: Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday praised the railway budget for its lack of populist measures like announcement of new trains and lauded Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for focusing on fulfilling projects unveiled in past budgets.

Amid criticism for its first full-fledged rail budget by opposition parties as well as ally Shiv Sena, the BJP government had something to cheer as Yadav refrained from attacking the budget and even lauded some of its measures.

"This is a good job. He (Prabhu) has not announced new schemes and promised that he will focus on executing past measures. If he succeeds in doing so, it will be a huge accomplishment," Yadav told reporters outside Parliament.

Citing new schemes announced by railway ministers in previous budgets, he said many proposals have been pending for over 15 years and while land has been acquired but the project has not come up yet. "I am satisfied with this announcement in the budget," he said.

Asked about criticism by Congress of the budget, he declined to make any comment. Queried if he was unhappy over no new proposal announced for his home state Uttar Pradesh, he said India's largest state has always been discriminated against.

PTI