India, May 4 -- Even as NCP founder Sharad Pawar, along with other opposition leaders, refused to attend a felicitation function of former CMs organised by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in Mumbai, five former legislators from his party jumped ship and joined Ajit on Saturday.

The felicitation programme was part of the NCP's four-day festival 'Gauravshali Maharashtra', and Sharad Pawar, along with Prithviraj Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, Ashok Chavan, Narayan Rane, Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde were the invitees. Sharad Pawar said there was no question of him going, as the event was organised by the Mahayuti.

Fadnavis said that he would have liked to see all the former CMs on the same dais. "The opposition leaders should have come as it was...