29 September,2026 01:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the Maharashtra government of political bias in the identification of drought-affected areas. File pic
Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday accused the Maharashtra government of showing "political discrimination" while preparing the list of drought-affected areas, alleging that constituencies represented by ministers were prioritised while areas represented by Opposition parties were left out.
Wadettiwar, the Congress Legislature Party leader, pointed out that 28 of the 33 talukas represented by state ministers were included in the first list of drought-affected areas. He alleged that farmers in constituencies represented by Opposition MLAs were being neglected while relief decisions were being made.
"The government should be ashamed while doing politics over drought," Wadettiwar said, alleging that ministers had also failed to visit constituencies represented by Opposition MLAs to assess the ground situation.
Wadettiwar specifically raised the case of Brahmapuri taluka in Chandrapur district, which he claimed was experiencing severe drought conditions but had not been included in the government's list.
He demanded that Brahmapuri be added to the drought-affected areas and said relief for farmers should be decided on the basis of the actual situation rather than political considerations.
The Congress leader called for political considerations to be kept aside while extending assistance to farmers affected by the rainfall deficit and drought conditions.
Wadettiwar also warned that the Congress would take the issue to the streets if the government's demands were not addressed. He said the party would question the government over the exclusion of areas that, according to the Congress, were facing serious drought conditions.
The allegations come amid the Maharashtra government's declaration of drought across 265 of the state's 358 talukas, covering around 74 per cent of the state.
The government has announced a series of relief measures for affected farmers, including restructuring of crop loans, concessions in land revenue and subsidies on electricity bills.
The drought declaration follows a period of rainfall deficit across parts of Maharashtra, with the government undertaking relief measures for affected agricultural areas.
The Congress, however, has questioned the basis on which the drought-affected areas were identified and included, with Wadettiwar demanding that regions facing severe conditions but left out of the initial list should also receive relief.
The Opposition party has indicated that it will continue to raise the issue if the government does not consider its demands.
(With inputs from PTI)
