The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance boycotted the government’s customary tea party organised on the eve of the legislative session to protest against the “failed administration of the State government”.

The MVA criticised the government for not providing satisfactory answers on many issues, including drought, farmers’ issues, rise in atrocities against women, drug trafficking, and deteriorating law and order in the State. The government should make farmers’ 7/12 extracts (’saat baara utara’ land records) debt-free instead of trapping them in technicalities, MVA leaders said. 

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The government’s farm loan waiver is fraudulent and farmers have been trapped in terms and conditions, MVA leaders alleged. Congress leaders in the State accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of corruption, alleging that contractors had to pay large commissions to get bills for work. 

Funds allocated for the Jal Jeevan Mission, and many development works, were revised downwards, the Opposition claimed.

Apart from rural economics, the MVA also criticised the State government for not controlling atrocities against women, and claimed that drug dealers and the police were hand-in-glove.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray or UBT) Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray, on social media platform X, attacked the State government’s inaction in the face of a potential water crisis.

“A gentle reminder to the Government of Maharashtra: Had they not scrapped the Desalination Plant project in Manori, initiated by us, by now Mumbai wouldn’t need water cuts,” Mr. Aaditya Thackeray said. “While Mindhe’s illegal government scrapped our project, the new BJP government has approved Gargai Dam - which not only cuts more than 5,00,000 trees in a wildlife sanctuary, but keeps the city of Mumbai monsoon dependent. And while Maharashtra has no drinking water, the parties in government forget to govern and only indulge in dirt politics of buying out MPs and pride over the end of democracy,” he said.

These were among the reasons for their boycott of the tea party, the MVA leaders said in a media briefing.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fadnavis accused the Opposition of sending an AI-generated letter citing reasons to boycott the customary tea party, and critiquing the government.

The letter was drafted on ChatGPT, Mr. Fadnavis said at a media briefing after the State Cabinet meeting, mockingly adding that he was happy the Opposition was using technology. 

CM on loan waiver

On the Opposition’s demand for a loan waiver for farmers, Mr. Fadnavis said steps were being taken. ”For us, loan waiver is for the farmers, we should make our farmers live, farmers should have the strength to take loans again, we look at it from this perspective…We formed a committee and gave that committee the task of considering short-term measures, long-term measures, and the impact on the banking system, and giving a report, and after that we have put some criteria in it,” he said.

Acknowledging potential water scarcity, Mr. Fadnavis spoke of the El Niño phenomenon, with rainfall in June just 80% of the long-term average. The government was advising farmers based on information from the India Meteorological Department, he said. “Water storage is also limited at present. There is a total of 24% water storage in the State,” the CM said.