What should've been a one-day story and apology took a bizarre turn Wednesday, over an NDP MPP's explanation of standing next to a man holding a 'F*** Doug Ford' sign at a rally on the weekend.

A photo of Ottawa-Centre MPP Joel Harden was posted to Reddit of him standing next to the man holding the placard at a health care rally.

Harden apologized in person to Ford on Monday, who accepted the apology and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath addressed the situation Tuesday.

"The suggestion is that he didn't realize what the sign said and as soon as he saw it, he realized that it was a problem and at the moment he got the opportunity, apologized to the premier," Horwath said.

But Harden then told CTV NEWS later that day that he actually did see what was on the sign before the photo was taken.

"I saw the sign, I saw the writing that was on the sign," he said. "It was a bad decision and I apologize for it."

"It was a split-second decision, as I said, people streaming into this rally, it was a chaotic environment, there was a lot of anger at that rally."

After the update, Horwath confirmed Harden would remain in caucus, while expressing disappointment over not just the photo, but how he's handled the situation.

She was also asked how she came to the understanding he didn't know what was on the sign.

"I will be speaking with Mr. Harden about the way he's handled this all the way around, it will include that conversation, it's very disappointing," she said.

Asked if Harden lied to her, Horwath reiterated her disappointment.

"As I said, he has not handled this very well and it has caused great upset, not just for myself as leader, but for our caucus as you can well imagine," she said.

Horwath knows first-hand about being caught in an awkward photo, as happened back in May when she was in a picture with a protestor holding a similar sign regarding the premier.

She apologized for not reading it carefully.

The party was also criticized after several members attended a rally regarding autism cuts outside Queen's Park, which included some protestors carrying a fake guillotine.

With files from CTV NEWS Toronto