A day after leaving a party convention midway, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar  denied reports suggesting a rift within the party and asserted that nobody is upset.

He also clarified that he skipped his speech and left the convention midway because he had to go to the washroom.

When asked about yesterday’s incident, Ajit Pawar said, “Media is showing misleading news. I didn’t speak, many leaders didn’t speak. I spoke to Marathi media and gave an entire explanation. I’m not sad, no one from our party is sad.”

“No one stopped me from speaking… I went to the washroom – can’t I go out?” he asked.

Yesterday, the former Maharashtra Deputy CM skipped the chance to speak at the NCP’s national convention meeting despite being one of the top leaders in the party. He left midway in front of party supremo Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar left the stage just moments after party leader Jayant Patil was given the chance to speak before him which sparked rumours of a rift in the party.

Earlier on Saturday, Sharad Pawar was re-elected as the President of the National Congress Party (NCP) for the next four years. He has been holding the office since 1999 when he founded the party with PA Sangma and Tariq Anwar after splitting from Indian National Congress.