NCP MLA Rohit Pawar and grand nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said the BJP was trying to break the party and Shiv Sena keeping in mind the Lok Sabha elections due in 2024. He said, "The checking reports of EVMs are taken five to six months before Lok Sabha or state elections and four days ago some Maharashtra officials have been instructed to start repairing and manufacturing EVMs. This is an indication that Lok Sabha elections can be conducted in December 2023. This is happening because of BJP's loss in the Karnataka elections as the same can happen in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and other states. BJP tried to break NCP and Shiv Sena keeping in mind the forthcoming elections."
The party's chief grandnephew further said, "Even BJP leaders are against this decision of Ajit Pawar joining the saffron side as they themselves have been fighting against the ideologies of NCP for decades. Now suddenly in order to stay in power you've (Eknath Shinde-led government) decided to join hands with NCP? BJP workers are unhappy, NCP workers are unhappy because of BJP, and our leaders are unhappy due to leaders from the NCP switching sides. After seeing all this, if we look at people's emotions then the politics of Maharashtra which used to be very respected and unique earlier isn't the same now. People don't talk about it like they used to earlier. It has stooped to a great extent."
He then said that leaders and people will collectively now empower positive thoughts for the upcoming elections which is already looking against the ones in power.