Fadnavis Busy in Bihar Leaving Maharashtra Farmers in Distress: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday criticised Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging that while he was busy with election campaigning in Bihar, farmers in Maharashtra continued to face severe distress. Mr. Thackeray rejected the State government’s deadline of June 30, 2025, for implementing the farm loan waiver and urged farmers to display boards in their villages declaring, “We want a loan waiver first, and then we will vote.”

Launching a four-day tour of the Marathwada region from Nandar village in Paithan taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Mr. Thackeray interacted with farmers to understand their grievances. He later visited Pali village in Beed district.

During his interactions, Mr. Thackeray alleged that several farmers had received as little as Rs 2 to Rs 21 as compensation under the crop insurance scheme, despite having paid premiums of around Rs 1,200 per acre, depending on the crop. Calling the compensation amounts “ridiculous,” he directed his party leaders, including Ambadas Danve, to gather detailed information on the actual compensation due, the insurance companies involved, and the specific schemes under which claims were filed.

Mr. Thackeray warned insurance companies to release pending compensation within 15 days, failing which farmers would stage protests at their offices and he would personally join the protests. He also criticised Mr. Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for allegedly making unfulfilled promises of farm loan waivers.

Referring to their previous statements, Mr. Thackeray said, “Mr. Fadnavis used to say he would write off loans from the 7/12 extract of farmers, while Ajit Pawar had promised to give a loan waiver or not use his name otherwise.”

With local body elections approaching, Mr. Thackeray accused the ruling parties of linking the loan waiver to electoral gains. “They now say the waiver will come in June 2026, but they need your votes first. Farmers should now say, ‘Give the waiver first, then we will vote,’” he said.

Mr. Thackeray also criticised the Chief Minister for being in Bihar, claiming that farmers were awaiting financial aid that had been promised earlier. “Farmers here are in distress, but the Chief Minister is in Bihar. Here, benefits under the Ladki Bahin scheme go to two members per family, while in Bihar, Rs 10,000 is being given to every woman because elections are being held there,” he said.

Responding to the criticism, chief minister Fadnavis remarked that it was “good” that Mr. Thackeray was touring, but added that “he cannot do anything except taunting others.” The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena also ridiculed Mr. Thackeray’s tour saying he remembers farmers and their farms only when elections are announced.