Gurudas Dasgupta, Communist Party of India MP, said that Finance Minister P Chidambaram's Budget-2006 is much below expectations and is not in tune with Common Minimum Programme to which ruling-United Progressive Alliance government is committed.

He told rediff.com, "We will protest against the Budget."

"This Budget is anti-poor and will increase inflation. This will help people those who have black money," he added.

In a lighter tone, he said, "The finance minister has increased tax on Indian made cigarettes but not on vilayati (imported) ones. May be he has kept himself in mind."

He said that Left parties will oppose the Budget because, "It is not helping cause of farmers. Its much below our expectations. This budget is not for growth but it is pro-liberalisation. It's not for equal distribution of wealth. Our expectations have been belied today."