Opposition parties — Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP) — on Saturday, 26 September 2026, launched a coordinated attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government over its drought relief measures, accusing it of betraying the farming community even as drought has been officially declared across 265 talukas of Maharashtra. The opposition described the government's relief announcement as 'dry as dust' — offering paperwork where farmers needed immediate financial support.

Congress Demands ₹1 Lakh Per Hectare, No Cap

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar termed the state government's Government Resolution (GR) declaring drought a 'sheer betrayal' of distressed farmers reeling from massive crop failures caused by deficit rainfall. He accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state ministers of making tall claims during drought assessment tours while delivering nothing substantive on paper.

Wadettiwar pointed to a glaring contradiction: Fadnavis had personally visited fields along the Samruddhi Expressway, publicly acknowledged severe crop damage, and promised blanket relief — yet the GR that followed merely repeated old, inadequate provisions. He demanded immediate compensation of ₹1 lakh per hectare transferred directly into farmers' bank accounts, based on actual crop damage, and a complete scrapping of the 2.5-hectare eligibility limit. He noted that during election periods, the same government had extended relief eligibility up to 3 hectares.

Wadettiwar also demanded the inclusion of Bramhapuri tehsil in Chandrapur district in the drought-affected list, citing severe rainfall shortfall there, and called for an unconditional waiver of all outstanding crop loans rather than the government's proposed loan restructuring, which he argued would merely defer and deepen farmers' debt burden.

He questioned why panchnamas (crop loss assessment surveys) were being delayed until October 5, asking why relief was being stalled when district administration machinery was fully operational. He further criticised the Cooperation Minister for suggesting that aid disbursement would take more time, calling it a deliberate stalling tactic.

'This government suffers from a drought of empathy. Announcing a drought on paper while burying farmers under bureaucratic paperwork and delayed surveys is meaningless. The Mahayuti government must act immediately, waive crop loans, and ensure no affected farmer is left behind,' Wadettiwar said.

NCP (SP)'s Rohit Pawar: Relief Triggered Three Weeks Too Late

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar reinforced the criticism, arguing that the first drought trigger should have been applied in the 265 talukas at least three weeks earlier than it was. He drew a sharp contrast between the government's rhetoric and its relief package: while Chief Minister Fadnavis had described the drought as more severe than the 1972 famine, the measures announced amounted to waiving a farm tax of ₹200 and exam fees of ₹500–₹1,000 — which Pawar called 'meaningless.'

'If you are sensitive, Chief Minister sir, don't waive exam fees, waive educational fees; don't waive farm tax, waive crop loans; give farmers ₹50,000 per hectare and farm labourers ₹25,000 in aid,' Pawar demanded. He warned that if substantial immediate aid was not announced, a mass movement would be mobilised across Maharashtra alongside farmers and farm labourers.

Pawar also alleged that promises made the previous year — including ₹3.5 lakh per hectare for land losses and ₹17,000 per hectare in crop insurance — had 'evaporated like a soap bubble,' indicating a pattern of unfulfilled commitments to the agrarian community.

Aaditya Thackeray Visits Marathwada Villages

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, visiting drought-hit villages in Marathwada, reported that major crops including soybean and pigeon pea had withered due to acute water scarcity. He said farmers were 'breaking down in sobs' upon seeing their standing crops die in the fields.

'Seeing the crop dying due to lack of water, farmers are breaking down in sobs. In this difficult situation, we stand with the provider of food,' Thackeray said. He stressed that merely declaring a 75% drought on paper would not suffice and that farmers needed tangible, on-ground assistance.

What the Government's GR Offered — and What It Did Not

The Mahayuti government's GR formally acknowledged drought conditions across 265 talukas — a significant geographic spread — but critics argue the relief architecture it lays out mirrors earlier rounds that underdelivered. The relief package reportedly includes minor fee waivers rather than direct income support, and loan restructuring rather than outright waivers. The opposition's central demand — unconditional per-hectare cash compensation with no landholding ceiling — remains unaddressed in the document.

This is not the first time Maharashtra's drought relief framework has drawn criticism: the state's agrarian belt, particularly Vidarbha and Marathwada, has faced recurring cycles of rainfall deficit, crop failure, and contested relief disbursement. Whether the Mahayuti government revises the GR under mounting political pressure will be closely watched in the coming weeks.