Praful Patel rubbishes speculations of Cong-NCP merger

Mumbai, Jan 25 (UNI) Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, a close confidant of Nationalist Congress Party chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today rubbished speculations of an impending merger of his party with the Congress and asserted that NCP will maintain its separate identity at all costs.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Mr Patel charged the Congress of spreading such canard to create confusion. ''NCP has never given a thought to the issue of a merger leave alone Mr Pawar being offered the post of Deputy Prime Minister. We will never sacrifice our party for the sake of few posts. Speculations of Mr Pawar being offered Deputy Prime Ministership was doing rounds even when Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime MInister,'' he said.

Replying to questions, Mr Patel said even though the foreign origin issue was not relevant any more, the relevance of his party lay in its programmes and decision making capacity to maintain secular fabric of the nation, development and commitment to weaker sections.

''Our intentions are reflected in the way we function,'' he added.

Mr Patel also said that his party will work to strengthen the Congress-led UPA at the Centre by maintaining its separate identity.

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