Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Uddhav Sena Accuses Fadnavis of Staging Farmer Distress Scene
Sushma Andhare, a leader of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
She said he staged a scene during a visit to areas suffering from drought.
She alleged that a former Bharatiya Janata Party village official acted like a distressed farmer in front of cameras.
Andhare also said Fadnavis spent only a short time inspecting one village.
She accused him of delaying an official decision about the drought.
Andhare said cotton crops were damaged by a disease called red blight.
She also spoke about a farmer’s suicide in Barshi and urged farmers not to harm themselves.
Aaditya Thackeray is expected to visit several affected districts to review the situation.
The article does not report a response from Fadnavis or the Bharatiya Janata Party to these allegations.
Sushma Andhare accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of staging an emotional farmer scene during a drought inspection tour.
Andhare alleged that a former BJP village council chairman posed as a drought-hit farmer before media cameras.
She criticized Fadnavis for reportedly spending only ten minutes in a village and delaying a drought-related government resolution.
Andhare said drought had damaged rural Maharashtra’s cotton crop through red blight and cited a farmer’s suicide in Barshi.
Aaditya Thackeray is scheduled to visit several drought-affected districts, including Solapur, beginning Saturday.
- Who
- Sushma Andhare of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena made the allegations against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; Aaditya Thackeray is scheduled to conduct a separate tour.
- What
- Andhare accused Fadnavis of using a former Bharatiya Janata Party village official to stage a crying farmer scene during a drought inspection.
- When
- The allegations were made on Friday; Aaditya Thackeray’s tour was scheduled to begin Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
- Where
- The dispute concerns Fadnavis’s tour of drought-hit rural Maharashtra, including villages in the Solapur area.
- Why
- Andhare said she was criticizing the handling and public presentation of the drought situation, crop damage, and farmer distress.
Uddhav Sena’s Allegations
Reported Government Inspection
Portrayal of farmer distress
Uddhav Sena’s Allegations
Sushma Andhare alleged that a former Bharatiya Janata Party village council chairman posed as a drought-hit farmer and cried before the media.
Reported Government Inspection
The article describes Fadnavis’s visit as an inspection tour but reports no response from him or the Bharatiya Janata Party to the staging allegation.
Handling of the drought
Uddhav Sena’s Allegations
Andhare criticized Fadnavis for spending about ten minutes in a village and delaying a government resolution on the drought.
Reported Government Inspection
Fadnavis visited drought-hit villages to inspect crop damage, according to the article; no official explanation for the timing of the resolution is reported.
- Accuser
- Sushma Andhare, senior leader of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena
- Accused
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
- Alleged participant
- A former village panchayat samiti chairman associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party
- Reported crop damage
- Cotton destroyed by red blight
- Farmer death mentioned
- A farmer suicide in Barshi, Solapur district
- Scheduled response tour
- Aaditya Thackeray’s two-day visit to South Solapur, Latur, Nanded, Parbhani, and Hingoli
- Tour start
- Saturday at 10:30 a.m.