Mumbai: Reacting to sudden political developments of Sunday in the state, Maharashtra NCP president and former state minister Jayant Patil said that the party has extended its full support to party supremo Sharad Pawar.

Notably, Ajit Pawar, so long the leader of the opposition, joined the Eknath Shinde ministry, along with eight eight other MLAs, and took over as the second Deputy Chief Minister (after BJP's Devendra Fadnavis).

"It seems that some members of the Legislative Assembly, including senior party leader Ajit Pawar, have gone to the ruling party and conducted the swearing-in ceremony, without the approval of the party," he said in a press statement.

"On behalf of all the party workers in Maharashtra and as Group Leader of Legislature Party in Assembly, I firmly say that all the workers are deeply affected by the incident and are expressing their reactions. They are protesting the incident and stand united with Pawar Saheb," he added.