In an editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Thackeray-led camp said Pawar’s demise was comparable to the untimely loss of towering leaders such as Pramod Mahajan, Gopinath Munde, Vilasrao Deshmukh and R.R. Patil

Ajit Pawar rejectedthe claim and asked, "Would I have waited for 10 years to join the BJP if I was blackmailed"