Eknath Shinde Says ‘Don’t Take Me Lightly’ Amid Rift Rumours with Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde issued a stern warning to his critics on Friday, saying, “Don’t take me lightly,” as whispers of a growing rift with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis heat up. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Shinde reminded everyone of his game-changing rebellion in 2022 that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, signaling he’s still a force to be reckoned with in Maharashtra politics.
The latest spark in this political drama comes from Fadnavis putting a ₹900 crore project in Jalna on hold. Approved during Shinde’s stint as Chief Minister, the project is now under scrutiny, with an investigation ordered to check its legitimacy. Shinde didn’t take this quietly. “I’m a simple party worker, but I’m Balasaheb’s worker,” he said, referring to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. “When I was underestimated in 2022, I turned the tables and changed the government.”
In June 2022, he led 40 Shiv Sena MLAs in a rebellion against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, splitting the party and collapsing the MVA coalition. Partnering with the BJP, Shinde took the CM chair himself, with Fadnavis as his deputy. Fast forward to the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections: the BJP won 132 seats, Shinde’s Sena grabbed 57, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP took 41, giving their Mahayuti alliance a commanding 230 seats. But this time, Fadnavis claimed the top job, leaving Shinde as Deputy CM—and, some say, unhappy about it.
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Shinde’s comments Friday were loaded with meaning. “In my first Vidhan Sabha speech, I said Devendra Fadnavis and I would win over 200 seats—and we got 232,” he noted. “So, don’t take me lightly. Those who need to get it will get it.” The cryptic jab has fueled speculation that he’s sending a message to both rivals and allies—especially as he’s been skipping key meetings called by Fadnavis, like one on housing projects earlier this month.
The tension’s been brewing for weeks. Shinde’s absence from events like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue unveiling in Thane and the Kumbh Mela planning meeting in Nashik has raised eyebrows. Sources say he’s dodging shared stages with Fadnavis. Then there’s the power tussle at Mantralaya, where both leaders have set up rival medical aid desks—Shinde’s new cell versus Fadnavis’s existing Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Add in the unresolved fight over guardian minister posts for Raigad and Nashik, and it’s clear the Mahayuti alliance isn’t all harmony.
Earlier this week, Shinde tried to cool things down. “There’s absolutely no cold war with Fadnavis,” he told News18 on February 18. “We’re united against those blocking Maharashtra’s progress. We’re thanda thanda, cool cool.” Fadnavis backed him up, brushing off the medical cell spat by saying he’d done the same as Deputy CM. But Friday’s “don’t take me lightly” line suggests Shinde’s patience might be wearing thin.
The Mahayuti swept the 2024 polls, but internal cracks are showing just months later. Shinde’s Sena loyalists feel his leadership fueled that win, yet he’s been sidelined from the CM post. The Jalna project probe only adds to the friction. Political watchers wonder: Is Shinde flexing his muscle to demand more say, or hinting at another big move? For now, Maharashtra’s power duo remains under the spotlight, with Shinde’s warning echoing loud and clear.
