In Maharashtra, Fadnavis Govt Faces Questions From Allies, Opposition Over Drought List

The BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra is facing an unusual challenge as criticism from its own ranks and the Opposition mounts over its decision to declare 265 of the state’s 358 talukas drought-affected, with ruling-party leaders questioning why their constituencies were left off the list.

The government issued the notification on Saturday under the first-stage Trigger-I criteria of the state's Drought Management Code, following deficient rainfall and prolonged dry spells. The declaration covers nearly three-fourths of the state's talukas and has triggered a debate over the methodology used to identify drought-hit areas.

The controversy has also centred on the inclusion of relatively high-rainfall areas such as Mahabaleshwar, Radhanagari and Shrivardhan, with critics questioning whether taluka-level assessment adequately captures variations in rainfall and crop conditions within smaller areas.

Ministers, BJP Leaders Question Exclusions

The notified list includes talukas corresponding to several constituencies represented by Mahayuti ministers and senior leaders. These include Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar's Baramati, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule's Kamthi, Chhagan Bhujbal's Yeola, Girish Mahajan's Jamner, Gulabrao Patil's Jalgaon Rural, Dada Bhuse's Malegaon Outer, Sanjay Rathod's Digras, Uday Samant's Ratnagiri, Pankaja Munde's Parli, Dattatray Bharne's Indapur, Aditi Tatkare's Shrivardhan, Makarand Jadhav Patil's Wai-Mahabaleshwar and Prakash Abitkar's Radhanagari.

Other constituencies represented by ruling-party legislators, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's Nagpur South-West, Sanjay Shirsat's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nitesh Rane's Kankavli, Akash Fundkar's Khamgaon, Babasaheb Patil's Ahmadpur, Indranil Naik's Pusad and Meghana Sakore-Bordikar's Jintur, are also covered.

However, some constituencies represented by ministers, including Shambhuraj Desai's Patan, Hasan Mushrif's Kagal, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil's Shirdi, Narhari Zirwal's Dindori, Yogesh Kadam's Dapoli and Bharat Gogawale's Mahad, have been left out.

The exclusions have raised questions over whether the assessment sufficiently captures local variations in drought conditions. Experts and farmers have also questioned the taluka-wise approach, arguing that severely affected revenue circles can fall outside the drought map when better-rainfall areas within the same taluka improve its overall indicators.

The issue has also created pressure within the BJP. An alleged audio conversation involving Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan went viral after supporters questioned him over the exclusion of Mudkhed and Mukhed. Chavan and his daughter, BJP MLA Sreejaya Chavan, later submitted a memorandum seeking their inclusion in the drought list.

BJP MLA Sumit Wankhede also wrote to Fadnavis seeking the inclusion of Arvi in the drought list. The request was subsequently approved, according to the account cited in the original report.

Opposition Alleges Political Bias

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has accused the government of political discrimination in deciding which areas qualify for drought relief.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar questioned the exclusion of Brahmapuri and alleged that areas represented by Opposition MLAs were being overlooked. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has submitted 17 demands to Fadnavis, including financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare for farmers.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar also criticised the relief announced by the government, while Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray raised concerns over drinking-water shortages, water availability for livestock and farmer distress.

The government has rejected the suggestion that farmers outside the initial list will be denied assistance. Fadnavis has said the 265-taluka list is not necessarily final and that additional areas can be assessed under subsequent drought criteria. He has also assured farmers that those whose talukas were left out will not be deprived of relief.

The state has meanwhile begun crop-loss assessments in the 265 notified talukas, with district administrations tasked with preparing detailed reports and relief plans. The government has said financial compensation for crop losses will be determined after the assessment.

The dispute comes as Maharashtra faces a wider agricultural and water crisis. The state recorded an overall monsoon rainfall deficit, with particularly significant shortages in Marathwada and Vidarbha, while prolonged dry spells have damaged kharif crops in several regions.

The controversy has consequently shifted attention from the declaration itself to how drought is measured, whether taluka-level indicators adequately capture local conditions and how relief will reach farmers in areas that remain outside the notified list.