NCP-chief Sharad Pawar asked the party defectors, who quit saying they wanted to ensure development of their constituencies, what they were doing for 15-years when they were in power. Ahead of Maharashtra-elections, NCP has seen exit of leaders to the ruling BJP or Shiv-Sena. Mr Pawar, who is on a state-wide tour before the next month's polls, was addressing party-workers at Beed on Wednesday.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has termed those who left his party to join the ruling BJP as "cowards", and said people will show the deserters their place in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly-elections. In a setback for the NCP, several senior party leaders recently joined the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The NCP chief also attacked the NDA government over the condition of the economy.

At a time when leaders of the NCP and Congress are joining the ruling camp ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, former BJP MLA Vijay Ghodmare on Saturday chose to join the Sharad Pawar-led party. Mr Ghodmare, who had represented Hingana constituency in Nagpur district, made the formal crossover at the residence of Pawar in Mumbai, a party statement said.