Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar engaged in a show of strength, a day after his nephew led a rebellion, and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra along with 8 NCP MLAs.
Pawar travelled from Pune to Karad in a convoy, with party workers lining the streets to show their support. Pawar undertook the journey to visit the memorial of Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan.
On July 2, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago.
Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
Sharad Pawar said it was not the NCP's decision to align with the BJP-Shiv Sena government and said action would be taken against leaders who violated the party line.
(With PTI inputs)