When asked about former chief minister and Congress veteran Ashok Chavan joining the BJP, he said, “These days, the effect of multiple agencies, such as ACB and ED, has increased, and it can be clearly seen how they are being used against the Opposition.”

On the issue of Maratha reservation, the former Union minister said a large number of people were supporting activist Manoj Jarange, who has been on an indefinite fast since February 10 to press for the demand for inclusion of the Maratha community into the Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

“The government should take a reasonable and concrete stand over the issue of Maratha reservation and Jarange,” he said.

The NCP suffered a split in July last year after Sharad Pawar’s nephew, Ajit Pawar, and eight MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government. The party was founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999.