Mumbai/IBNS: Rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction leader Praful Patel Wednesday defended Ajit Pawar's decision to join the Eknath Shinde ministry, saying that he switched sides in the interest of the party, workers, and Maharashtra.

Addressing party workers of the Ajit Pawar faction at MET here after the split in NCP, Patel recalled that when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state fell in June 2022, then NCP MLAs and MLCs met Sharad Pawar and requested him to extend their party's support to the BJP, but he declined.

He reiterated that Ajit Pawar took the decision to join the state government in the interest of the party, workers, and the state.

Talking about ideological differences between NCP and BJP, he said that the day the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed, NCP extended support to the Shiv Sena, despite Sena founder late Bal Thackeray having insulted Sharad Pawar on numerous occasions.

"Then what's wrong if we go with BJP?" he countered and cited instances of Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah of Kashmir, as well as M K Stalin who had joined hands with BJP.

Speaking further, Patel, who was a close confidant of Pawar Senior, appealed to him that he should now understand their feelings and give his blessings so that they will all work in that direction.

On Monday, the battle for supremacy over the NCP intensified after Sharad Pawar started taking action against Ajit Pawar and his associates, while on the other hand, his nephew Ajit Pawar removed the old timers from the post.

It started when Pawar Senior expelled Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from the party and some time later, the Ajit Pawar faction removed Jayant Patil from the post of NCP state president and appointed Sunil Tatkare in his place.

After Sharad Pawar's action, Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel announced that Sunil Tatkare would be the new state president of the party.

He will take over this responsibility in place of Jayant Patil, they had said.