Amid rumors of a rift within Maharashtra's ruling alliance, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde warned his detractors to not "take me lightly".
Shinde, reflecting on his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in the Shiv Sena, reminded detractors that he had toppled the state government in 2022 when he was underestimated.
"Do not take me lightly; I have already told those who have. I may be a regular party worker, but I am a worker of Balasaheb, and everyone should understand that. When you took me lightly in 2022, I changed the government. We brought in a government that reflected the will of the people," Shinde said, as quoted by ANI.
Speculation about a rift has been fueled by reports that Shinde has been skipping meetings called by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to India Today.
Shinde’s 2022 rebellion led to the fall of Uddhav Thackeray’s government and a split in the Shiv Sena. He later aligned with the BJP and became Maharashtra's Chief Minister.
However, after the BJP's strong performance in the recent assembly elections, he was forced to give up the position.
In a cryptic remark, Shinde on Friday said, "In my first speech in the Vidhan Sabha, I predicted that Devendra Fadnavis Ji would secure more than 200 seats, and we ended up with 232 seats. So, do not take me lightly. Those who understand the hint, should understand it, and I will continue doing my work."