Shiv Sena (UBT)'s mouthpiece Saamana on 21 September 2026 launched a blistering attack on the MahaYuti government for what it described as a brazen display of insensitivity — photographs of ministers, MLAs, and MPs feasting on cashews, almonds, and premium dry fruits during an official drought review meeting in Nanded, even as farmers across Marathwada, North Maharashtra, and Vidarbha watch their standing crops wither. The editorial accused the ruling alliance of presiding over a 'demonic rule of fear, hunger, and thirst' as the monsoon retreats from the state.

The Nanded Incident That Sparked the Outrage

The controversy centres on a drought review meeting convened by State Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane in Nanded. Photographs that surfaced after the meeting showed elected representatives being served plates of high-end dry fruits — a spectacle Saamana editorial labelled 'rubbing salt on the open wounds of farmers,' contrasting crying farmers in parched fields with politicians reclining in air-conditioned rest houses.

The outrage deepened when Shinde faction MP Bandu Jadhav dismissed the controversy with a remark that critics have called callous: 'Why make such a fuss over cashews and almonds, brother? I was starving, so I ate them. Why create chaos over Rs 500–Rs 1,000 worth of dry fruits?' Saamana termed the remark inhuman, pointing out that those who have allegedly 'swallowed thousands of crores' remain unsatisfied.

Fadnavis Deflects; Thackeray Camp Fires Back

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged that such feasting was improper, deflecting responsibility onto the administration and urging officials to remain sensitive to ground realities. The Thackeray camp rejected this framing outright, arguing that as head of the administration, the Chief Minister cannot distance himself from the conduct of elected representatives. The editorial said politicians should have felt enough shame to refuse the spread in the first place.

This comes amid widespread crop failure in Maharashtra, with soybean, cotton, bajra, maize, tur, moong, and urad reported to have completely dried up and been ruined across drought-hit districts. Critics argue the government has prioritised political manoeuvring over relief delivery.

Loan Waiver Promises Under Fire

Saamana also trained its guns on the state's earlier farm loan waiver announcement, mocking it as a paper exercise. The editorial claimed that while three lists were allegedly published, ground-level impact has been negligible — going so far as to suggest one could offer a 'Rs 5,000 reward to anyone who can actually find a farmer who received a loan waiver.'

The editorial further alleged that drought relief funds, like development funds before them, risk being distributed on partisan lines — favouring constituencies with ruling-party MLAs while leaving opposition-held areas underserved. These are allegations the MahaYuti government has not yet formally addressed.

Uddhav Camp's Six-Point Demand List

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena put forward a six-point relief agenda. It has demanded that the government: declare an official statewide drought immediately, without awaiting procedural delays, in line with a recommendation attributed to veteran leader Sharad Pawar; provide direct assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to affected farmers; execute a full blanket waiver of all agricultural loans without conditions; waive tuition fees for children of drought-hit farmers; set up fodder camps (chara chhawani) and ensure drinking water availability; and convene a special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly with an all-party task force to manage drought mitigation.

The editorial additionally criticised the burning of oil to light thousands of lamps for the Prime Minister's birthday celebrations, questioning whether such gestures could lift the shadow of drought from Maharashtra's farmers. The MahaYuti government's formal response to these demands is still awaited, even as the agricultural distress across the state's interior deepens.