The NCP on Thursday said the Modi-led government's rejection of Maharashtra's tableau for the Republic Day parade was an insult to the state which had made "valuable contribution" in India's freedom struggle.
NCP MP Supriya Sule said the Modi government was meting out "step-motherly treatment" to states.
"The government is behaving in a prejudiced manner. It is expected that it should behave in an impartial manner," she tweeted.
"Rejection of the tableaux of Maharashtra and West Bengal is an insult to the valuable contribution of the two states in India's freedom struggle," the NCP leader said.
She was responding to reports that the the Ministry of Defence has selected 22 tableaux out of 56 proposals for the Republic Day parade. The selected tableau will feature 16 states and Union territories and six Central ministries.
The ministry had received 32 tableau proposals from states and Union territories and 24 from Central ministries and departments.
Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad said the decision to reject the tableau has hurt the "asmita" (self-respect) of people of the state.