Nana Patole said he will apprise the party high command of how NCP has treated Congress.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Thursday kept up his attack on the ally Nationalist Congress Party, accusing it of betrayal in local elections in Bhandara and Gondia districts.
Earlier in the day, senior NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar berated Mr Patole's earlier tirade and stressed the need for the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to remain intact. The Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP are the main constituents of the alliance.
"Violating a written understanding between MVA allies and joining hands with the BJP for the posts of president and chairman in Bhandara and Gondia Zilla Parishads was betrayal. What is this if not backstabbing," Mr Patole said.
His political background was no secret, he told reporters, adding, "What I do, I do openly." After elections to the Bhandara and Gondia ZPs in eastern Maharashtra, all three (main) constituents of the MVA issued a joint statement on January 30 and stated that the alliance will contest the elections for ZP president and local units should work for this, Mr Patole said.
"I was continuously in touch with state NCP president Jayant Patil and senior NCP leader Praful Patel about alliance for election for ZP president and chairman. But NCP delayed taking decision, and joined hands with the BJP at the last moment. I will apprise the party high command of how NCP has treated us," he said.
Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar termed Mr Patole's allegation of backstabbing as "ridiculous".
Given the political situation in the state, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress can cross the magic figure of 145 in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly only if they stay together, he said.
Rumblings in the MVA came to the fore on Wednesday with Mr Patole accusing NCP of being a "backstabber", a day after the Sharad Pawar-led party joined hands with the BJP in Gondia ZP elections, keeping Congress away from power.
"Nana's statement is ridiculous. You all know he joined the Congress (again) after quitting the BJP. So should the BJP allege that he backstabbed it?” Mr Pawar said in response to Mr Patole's diatribe.
"We all know the Congress had tied up with BJP at some taluka and district levels (in the past). I don't want to give much importance to it. But responsible leaders should take care that their comments are not misconstrued," he added.
Congress had also inducted some NCP workers in its fold in the past, he claimed.
"We don't have to feel bad if our worker joins our ally rather than any opposition party.…the point is, the alliance should remain intact,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)