Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has issued a threat that he should not be taken lightly. His statement comes amid rumours of cold war with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and within Mahayuti alliance.
Shinde made the remarks while talking to reporters in Nagpur on Friday.
“I have already said that don’t take me lightly. It should be clear to those who have underestimated me. I am a simple party worker, but I am Balasaheb’s worker, and everyone should understand me in that way. In 2022, when you took me lightly, the tables turned and the government changed…Those who want to understand this message should do so. Then we brought the government of people’s choice and then the double-engine government worked.
#WATCH | Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde says, “Do not take me lightly; I have already said this to those who have taken me lightly. I am a normal party worker, but I am a worker of Bala Saheb and everyone should take me with this understanding. When you took it… pic.twitter.com/quQeanGPfn
— ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2025
‘Turned the tables in 2022’
Shinde also said that he led to the fall of Uddhav Thackeray government when he was taken lightly.
“In my first speech in assembly, I had said that me and Devendra Fadnavis will fetch over 200 seats and then we got 232 assembly seats. That’s why I am saying don’t take me lightly…those whoever wants to understand this should do so,” Shinde added.
There have been reports of rifts in Mahayuti after Fadnavis government downgraded the security of several MLAs including from Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The Maharashtra government claimed that the move was taken to ensure that ‘resources were deployed in a better way’.
Eknath Shinde skips govt functions
Earlier, the absence of Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde from several government events sparked buzz of rift in the Mahayuti alliance. The alliance stormed back to power in Maharashtra in November 2024 defeating Congress led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Mahayuti won 232 seats in Maharashtra assembly in November last year.
According to reports Eknath Shinde did not attend three programmes including birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj at Agra Fort, inauguration Shivaji statue of Badlapur in Thane, and inauguration of Shivsrushti theme park in Ambegaon. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present in all these programmes.
