Ajit Pawar's claim that the whole of Nationalist Congress Party was backing his move to join the ruling alliance was hotly contested by the party. Senior leader Jayant Patil said, "Around seven to eight people used to say that the party should join BJP but they didn't have any support from the party". "The NCP isn't supporting the BJP in any form. Those who didn't follow our orders and became ministers, we don't have anything to do with them," he added.