Fiscal test, RS polls, Ajit Pawar’s death likely to dominate Maharashtra Budget session

Mounting debt, Rajya Sabha elections and the fallout of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s death are likely to dominate the month-long budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature beginning February 23, during which CM Devendra Fadnavis will also present the state budget. Fadnavis, who holds the finance portfolio, faces the challenge of pursuing fiscal expansion while managing the state’s mounting debt, estimated at over Rs 9 lakh crore, said political observers. The CM is scheduled to present the state budget for 2026-27 on March 6.

The session will commence with the Governor’s address to a joint sitting of both Houses, followed by a condolence motion for the late deputy chief minister. Though the government has reiterated its commitment to transforming Maharashtra into a one-trillion-dollar economy, sustaining capital expenditure while containing fiscal deficit will require a balancing act, they said. Significant allocations are expected for inter-city connectivity projects, including the Pune-Nashik high-speed rail corridor, expansion of metro rail networks, development around the proposed Vadhvan Port in Palghar district and the Mumbai water metro project. Despite fiscal pressures, the government is likely to continue funding its flagship programmes such as the ‘Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’, which provides eligible women a monthly assistance of Rs 1,500.

With erratic climate patterns such as sudden rainfall, flash floods and unseasonal heat waves affecting regions like Marathwada and Vidarbha, the government might roll out a “climate-resilient agriculture” package, they said. The Opposition is expected to target the government over the gap between industrial investment commitments and actual job creation, and to question what it terms “election-oriented spending at the cost of long-term fiscal prudence”. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar has sought a transparent probe into the January 28 air crash that claimed Ajit Pawar’s life, while sections within the party have demanded a CBI inquiry. The issue is likely to feature prominently during the session. The month-long sitting will also mark Ajit Pawar’s wife and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar’s first engagement with legislative proceedings. She is currently not a member of either House and is expected to contest the forthcoming bypoll from Baramati, which Ajit Pawar represented. This will be the second session without a leader of opposition in either the legislative assembly or council in Maharashtra. The crucial Rajya Sabha polls will also be held during the period. Seven seats from Maharashtra are falling vacant, including that of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale who heads the RPI (A). The combined opposition can potentially elect only one Rajya Sabha member. While Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed that Sharad Pawar is keen to contest the polls, his colleague and former minister Aaditya Thackeray has said that the arithmetic favours their party over Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress and NCP (SP).

In the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 20 legislators, followed by the Congress (16) and NCP-SP (10). Mahayuti has a comfortable strength of 232 MLAs in the assembly. Two vacancies have arisen in the assembly following the deaths of BJP leader Shivajirao Kardile from Rahuri and Ajit Pawar. For the Rajya Sabha polls, the quota required for election is 36. Former CM and Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray’s term as a member of the legislative council ends in the next few months. A senior Congress leader said their party and Sena (UBT) can get one each of the Rajya Sabha and council seats. If Uddhav Thackeray wants renomination in the council, Congress will take the Rajya Sabha seat, he said. “The political course of the ten NCP (SP) MLAs was unknown as the merger talks between the two NCP factions were underway before Ajit Pawar’s demise,” the Congress leader said.