Sharad Pawar’s most trusted aide Praful Patel, who sided with Ajit Pawar in his rebellion, on Monday asked the NCP chief to endorse the decision of the breakaway faction as the “majority view is crucial in a democracy”.

“Most of the MLAs are with us. With folded hands, we request Sharad Pawar to endorse our decision and come with us,” Patel said after breaking the party in a brazen act of betrayal.

Sharad Pawar, a mass leader, responded by sacking Patel from the NCP and vowing to teach a lesson to those who created trouble in the party. NCP state chief Jayant Patil also sent a petition to the Assembly Speaker to disqualify all the nine MLAs who took oath as ministers.

During the Shiv Sena split, Uddhav Thackeray had lost both his party and the symbol to the defectors. Almost in a repeat of that episode, NCP working president Patel sacked Jayant Patil and appointed Sunil Tatkare, whose daughter Aditi was also sworn in as minister, as the state president. Much like the Sena turn of events, both sides indulged in reckless sackings and appointments, claiming to be the real party.

Patel, who couldn’t become a municipal councillor without Sharad Pawar’s support, is now competing with his mentor. With Ajit Pawar on his side and the ED-CBI noose around his neck, Patel unveiled the rebel group’s plan to grabthe party that the senior Pawar has vowed to rebuild after the back-stabbing by his loyalists.

As one reporter rubbed salt in his wounds by asking whether the rebellion had his blessings, Sharad Pawar said: “It is a mean thing to say. Only those with a mean and low intellect can say this.”

Sharad Pawar, himself infamous for his Machiavellian ways throughout his chequered political career filled with betrayals and opportunistic somersaults, is now firm on his ideological opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s politics.

Addressing party workers in Karad, Sharad Pawar said the BJP was trying to break all the smaller parties and ensure that the Opposition unity efforts get derailed. “The Madhya Pradesh government was overthrown. Such efforts are also being made in Delhi, Punjab, Bengal, Himachal and southern states. In the state of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Yashwantrao Chavan, attempts have been made to destabilise a democratically functioning. Unfortunately, our colleagues fell victim to this kind of politics and ideology. I will not rest until I put those creating trouble in their place,” he said.

He added: “I have set out on a tour of the state and galvanise the cadre. They should not feel disillusioned with what some leaders have done. Today, in Maharashtra and the country, a rift is being created in the society in the name of caste and religion by some groups. We tried to stand against the BJP, but unfortunately, some of us fell prey to it. With the support of the public, we will gain strength again. Nevertheless, the people of Maharashtra will not succumb to these undemocratic forces.”

While senior Pawar has only his personal perseverance to recover at the age of 82 against the betrayal by his nephew and aides, Ajit Pawar who faltered last time appears to have worked out a better plan this time. While one MLA, Amol Kohle, has already returned to the parent party, the rebel group is said to have the support of at least 28 MLAs. Sharad Pawar has called a meeting on Tuesday which will give a clearer signal about the strength of both sides.