In the latest political controversy, Santosh Bangar, MLA from the Kalamnuri Vidhan Sabha constituency in Hingoli district (aligned with the Eknath Shinde faction), has stirred up a storm by advising school students to skip food for two days. In a video that has gone viral, Bangar is seen telling puzzled students that if their parents question their refusal to eat, they should reply, “Vote for Santosh Bangar, only then will we eat.”

This has sparked outrage across party lines in the state, with leaders from the Congress and NCP demanding action against him. Bangar visited the Lakh village in Aundha Naganath taluka of Hingoli district on Saturday for the bhoomi poojan ceremony of various development projects in the village and the local zilla parishad school. In a video, he can be seen happily interacting with students, who applaud him.