Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took a subtle swipe at his counterpart Eknath Shinde over his recent remark, “Don’t take me lightly,” questioning who the intended target of the comment was. The exchange between the two leaders at the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Talkatora Stadium added fuel to the ongoing political intrigue in the state.

"Recently, Shinde used the phrase ‘Don’t take me lightly.’ It is still unclear whom he was addressing,” Pawar said in the presence of Shinde. “Was it meant for ‘Mashal’ (the election symbol of Shiv Sena-UBT) or someone else?” he added, hinting at the rift between different factions of the Shiv Sena.

Shinde, who spoke after Pawar, remained tight-lipped and only said that the comment was related to an incident from over two years ago. However, the remark has triggered speculation about whether it was directed at Shiv Sena-UBT led by Uddhav Thackeray or if it was a warning to his allies in the BJP and NCP.

Despite his dig at Shinde, Ajit Pawar was quick to assert that there was no division within the MahaYuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP. The political landscape in Maharashtra has been volatile since 2022 when Shinde split from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and allied with the BJP to become the Chief Minister. However, following the 2024 Assembly elections, Shinde had to settle for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post as Devendra Fadnavis returned to the CM’s chair.

During the event, Shinde also took a swipe at his rivals, recalling how some were displeased when he received the Mahadji Shinde Award from NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar. He also emphasized that despite political differences, leaders should maintain relationships beyond elections, referencing the camaraderie between Sharad Pawar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Sammelan inauguration.