Maha Politics: Deputy CM Eknath Shinde Says 'Don't Take Me Lightly' Amid Reports Of Rift With CM Fadnavis

Amid speculations of a growing rift between him and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Friday asserted that nobody should take him lightly while making a veiled reference to the toppling of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

"In 2022, I toppled the cart of those who took me lightly, and we brought in a new government that stayed in the people's hearts," Shinde told reporters in Nagpur referring to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government. Shinde had then become chief minister by splitting the Thackeray-led Sena and forming an alliance with the BJP.

"The double engine government (headed by Shinde) ran at full speed, and I and Devendra Fadnavis said we would win over 200 seats. We won 232 seats (in the 2024 assembly polls)," he said.

"Do not take me lightly. The hint is enough for those who understand it. I will continue to do my work," he added.

Rift With Fadnavis?

While both Shinde and Fadnavis rubbished the speculations of discord, recent developments spoke of simmering tensions. After the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024, Shinde and Fadnavis went for a role reversal where Shinde became Fadnavis' deputy.

What recently brought tensions to the fore was the appointment of NCP leader Aditi Tatkare and BJP leader Girish Mahajan as guardian ministers of Raigad and Nashik districts, respectively. Shiv Sena leaders expressed discontent over the appointments. Both the appointments were revoked and Fadnavis is yet to take a fresh decision.

Both deputy CMs, Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, set up project monitoring cells to track the progress of projects in the districts of which they are guardian ministers and those of departments handled by ministers of their respective parties. As the CM already has his "war room" for monitoring key projects, this was seen as both the BJP allies asserting themselves.

After Fadnavis held a review meeting of the Industries department, Shinde held another meeting recently. Industries department is headed by Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant.

The buzz about the relations being under growing strain became louder when the Home department, headed by Fadnavis, downgraded or took away the police security of 20 Shiv Sena MLAs. They had been given security cover after the Sena split in 2022.

(With PTI Inputs)