Don’t take me lightly: Eknath Shinde amid rift rumours with Devendra Fadnavis

Eknath Shinde, referring to his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in the undivided Shiv Sena, said he toppled the government of the state when he was "taken lightly" in 2022.

"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 lightly in 2022, I changed the government; we brought the government of the wishes of the common people," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Eknath Shinde had reportedly been skipping meetings called by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis fueling speculation of the rift, reported India Today.