Former Union Minister Praful Patel, associated with the NCP group led by Ajit Pawar, made critical remarks about the recent opposition party meeting in Patna. During a gathering of NCP leaders in Mumbai, Patel expressed amusement upon witnessing the scene where out of the 17 opposition parties present, seven had only one Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha, and one party had no MP at all. Patel clarified that their decision to join the NDA in Maharashtra was driven by their commitment to the nation and their party, rather than personal gain. The crisis within the Nationalist Congress Party escalated as both factions held simultaneous meetings to demonstrate their strength.
Patel, previously a close associate of Sharad Pawar, attended the opposition party meeting in Patna on June 23. Responding to doubts about their alliance, he mentioned other parties such as PDP and National Conference, which had previously aligned with the BJP. Patel questioned the objection to aligning with the BJP, highlighting their acceptance of the ideology of Shiv Sena. He ridiculed the opposition parties' claim of bringing about change, emphasizing that their decision to join the NDA was made in the best interest of the nation and their party, rather than personal motives.