‘Farmers have no money, MLAs have cash?’ Danve’s video has sparked controversy

The political storm in Maharashtra has intensified as a video posted by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve shows a man sitting near bundles of cash, asking Danve who the MLA is and what he is doing with so much money.

The clip was shared with a sharp caption questioning how the government “doesn’t have money for farm loan waiver, but everything else is fine” and tagged the Chief Minister, both the Deputy Chief Ministers and senior Central leaders.

This government just doesn’t have money for farmer loan waiver… everything else is fine!
Just tell the public, Chief Minister Fadnavis and Shinde ji, who are these MLAs and what are they doing with piles of money?@mieknathshinde @Dev_Fadnavis @AmitShah @BJP4Maharashtra #moneypower #ruins #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/WUDpmedTgo

– Ambadas Danve (@iambadasdanve) 9 December 2025

Soon after, Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi came on News 18 Lokmat and denied that he was the person seen with the cash. He said he had nothing to do with the money or the place shown in the video and claimed that his photo had been doctored by pasting it in the clip.

Dalvi said that if Danve can present clear footage before the Assembly in which he is actually seen sitting in front of bundles of currency notes, he is ready to resign from the post of MLA.

Dalvi repeatedly stressed that he had “no connection” to the cash seen in the clip.

Asked whether he would file a defamation case, Dalvi said Danve did not deserve such action and he saw no need to go down that route. He said that no senior leader has called him so far regarding the video and challenged Danve to bring the evidence on the floor of the House and before the media.

The controversy comes at a sensitive time. The winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature is underway and the opposition is attacking the government over farmers’ distress and their pending demand for loan waiver following heavy rains and crop damage in parts of the state.