Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday took a swipe at the Opposition ahead of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature, suggesting that a memorandum submitted by opposition parties appeared to have been generated with the help of artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT.
Speaking at a press conference a day before the three-week session begins, Fadnavis criticised opposition leaders for skipping the customary high-tea meeting organised before the legislature convenes. Instead of attending the interaction, opposition parties submitted a six-page memorandum highlighting issues they intend to raise during the session.
Expressing disappointment over their absence, Fadnavis said the meeting could have provided an opportunity for meaningful discussions and an exchange of views on key matters.
Commenting on the memorandum, the chief minister claimed its language and structure gave him reason to believe it had been prepared using AI tools.
“When I looked at the letter, I became curious and decided to check. It appeared that the document had been prepared using ChatGPT. It seems the opposition has now started relying on artificial intelligence even to draft letters, perhaps because they have run short of ideas, creativity, or a proper understanding of the issues,” he said.
However, Fadnavis added a light-hearted remark, saying it was encouraging to see opposition parties embracing new technology.
“The future belongs to AI, so it is good that the opposition has started using it. I congratulate them for that,” he said.
His comments come ahead of what is expected to be a heated Monsoon Session, with opposition parties preparing to target the government over issues related to farmers, governance and welfare schemes.
The chief minister further alleged that many of the concerns raised by the opposition had already been discussed extensively in previous sessions. According to him, several sections of the latest memorandum closely resembled submissions made in earlier years.
Addressing the government’s farm loan waiver initiative, Fadnavis said such measures should not be viewed through a political lens and were intended to help farmers regain access to formal credit channels. He stated that nearly 56 lakh farmers would benefit from the scheme, which is estimated to cost around ₹36,585 crore and is being described as the largest loan waiver programme undertaken by the state.
Fadnavis also spoke about concerns arising from delayed monsoon rains and emerging El Niño conditions. He said Maharashtra was witnessing a difficult weather situation, with rainfall remaining significantly below normal in several regions.
According to him, Vidarbha has recorded rainfall nearly 80 per cent below average, while central Maharashtra and Konkan are facing deficits of 83 per cent and 86 per cent respectively.
He advised farmers to follow official guidance and begin sowing only after receiving adequate rainfall. The chief minister added that the government was closely monitoring water reserves and had already imposed restrictions on certain agricultural water usage to ensure drinking water supplies remain protected if monsoon delays continue.
The Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislature is set to commence on June 22.
