India, Feb. 2 -- The budget has three political objectives in mind. The first sends a message to the Bharatiya Janata Party's, and more importantly, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's core base of the middle class urban Indian. The second seeks to consolidate the BJP's advantage among the non-poor in the city-state of Delhi, which will vote on February 5. And the third is to build a strong narrative for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's poll pitch in the crucial state of Bihar, which will go to polls towards the end of the year.

The first and the second objectives have been achieved with the same instrument: an easing of the income tax burden. The third will exploit various announcements in the budget to build a strong pitch of Vikas...