NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweeted in support of the Akali Dal today (File)
Hours after Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien hailed the Akali Dal - the ruling BJP's oldest ally - for walking out of the NDA over the farm bills, NCP chief Sharad Pawar offered praise of his own.
The veteran politician thanked Akali leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal - who resigned as Union Minister last week in protest over the bills - for "firmly standing" with farmers.
"Congratulations to Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal President of Akali Dal and MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who, under the leadership of honourable shri Prakash Singh Badal, pulled out of NDA in a protest (against the) farmers' bills. Thanks for firmly standing with the farmers!" Mr Pawar tweeted.
Minutes later Mr Badal responded and thanked Mr Pawar for his "kind words".
"Thanks Pawar sahib for your kind words. We all stand with #farmers of the country!" he tweeted.
Earlier on Sunday, Derek O'Brien, who was one of eight Rajya Sabha MPs suspended in the ruckus that accompanied two of the three bills being passed, said the Trinamool supported the Akali's stand.
Mr Badal responded just as swiftly: "Derek - your stand against the agriculture bills in parliament is well known. Appreciate your support."
Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut also put a post supporting the Akalis' decision, saying, "Shiv Sena appreciates Akali Dal's decision to break its ties with NDA in the interest of farmers."
Mr Badal on Sunday called for a united opposition to face the BJP and save farmers.
"The farmers' economic plight affects the entire economy. Anything like the new farm bills, which increases the uncertainty about the fate of farmers' produce can have disastrous implication for the economy.... what we are fighting for is to protect the country's wider national interests," he said at gatherings of party workers and farmers in Punjab.
On Saturday he said the highest decision-making body of the party had held an emergency meeting in Chandigarh and "decided unanimously to pull out of the BJP-led NDA alliance".
The Akali chief, whose party had initially supported the bills before making a U-turn, said they were "lethal and disastrous" for its key voter base - farmers.
He also said the decision to quit the NDA was taken "because of... its (the NDA) continued insensitivity to Punjabi and Sikh issues like excluding Punjabi as an official language in J&K".
The Akali Dal is now the third major party to pull out of the NDA, following the Shiv Sena and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The government has insisted that the three farm bills - which were signed into law by President Ram Nath Kovind this evening despite fervent appeals - will give farmers control over markets and prices at which to sell their produce.
Farmers, however, fear they will end the price support system, or MSP, and allow the entry of private players who will put small and marginal farmers at risk.
Over the past week thousands of angry farmers held protest marches and rallies, and blocked roads and railway tracks, to make their voices heard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that the protests were a result of "propaganda" by the opposition and maintained that the three new pieces of legislation would benefit farmers.