Sharad Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), voiced deep concern over the rising farmer suicides in Maharashtra’s Marathwada and Vidarbha regions on Saturday, pressing the Central government to devise a robust policy to support struggling cultivators. Speaking to reporters in Baramati, Pawar cited troubling data from the state’s relief and rehabilitation department, which reported 2,635 farmer suicides in 2024, underscoring the agrarian crisis in these drought-prone areas.

“The figures from Marathwada and Vidarbha are alarming. We’ll gather precise data from various sources, but the Centre must act with a clear policy,” Pawar stressed. His remarks come amid persistent challenges like water scarcity and low crop prices plaguing farmers in these regions.

Addressing party matters, Pawar dismissed rumors of NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil defecting to the Ajit Pawar-led faction, noting Patil had clarified his stance after a misinterpreted comment sparked speculation. On Friday, Patil reaffirmed his loyalty at a Baramati event.

The former Union agriculture minister also highlighted an impending agricultural shift, announcing plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into sugarcane farming. “AI can enhance sugarcane quality, and sugar factories will soon adopt this technology. A key meeting with factory officials later today could mark a revolutionary step,” he said.

Pawar lamented the deteriorating peace in Beed, once a calm district, linking recent unrest—including a sarpanch’s murder—to power misuse by some party members. “The consequences are evident,” he added, reflecting on the region’s changed dynamics.