Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were functioning at the Bharatiya Janata Party's direction and would eventually join the saffron party, amid speculation over internal differences within the NCP following a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the Rajya Sabha MP said the NCP belonged to founder Sharad Pawar, while claiming that the faction led by Ajit Pawar had lost its political direction following his death.