Though, Bhosale said while addressing a press conference, the party is willing to have an alliance with RPI factions. He parried questions about the number of seats the Congress party is prepared leave aside for RPI factions saying that he was not authorised to make statements on seat-sharing.

Bhosale pointed out that the Congress being a national party with a well-defined organisational structure at all levels, the issue of distributing tickets or having alliances would be taken only after formal deliberations.

He then said that the question of allying with the SP did not arise since its leaders both at national and state levels have announced their intentions to go it alone in Maharashtra.

On the question of IndependentMLAs, he reiterated the stand that they were welcome in the party fold but sidestepped the issue of giving tickets to them.

When his attention was drawn towards a meet organised by a section of party men at Yavatmal on January 31 to focus attention of separate Vidarbha issue, the MPCC chief expressed ignorance about any such meeting. He said there was no need to seek prior permission from party leadership to hold such conventions. When pressed for his reaction on the demand for separate Vidarbha issue, he merely said the matter has already been referred to a party sub-committee on whose decision the MPCC would hinge its stand.

Reacting to the BJP's proposal to move a resolution in the State Legislature on separate Vidarbha state, he said it was not worthwhile to believe their statements -- the BJP leaders gave assurances on several issues in last four years but took no care to implement even one.

Commenting on the recent spate of reactionary moves by Hindu fundamentalists in various parts of thecountry, Bhosale castigated Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for holding the nation to ransom on his whims. He was also critical of the Centre for its failure to take stern action against those threatening to disrupt the Pakistani cricket team's tour programme and those behind attacks on minorities.

He announced that the party is geared up for launching a series of agitational programmes on issues of public interest like onion prices. The `Sangharsha Varsha' programme would be announced at a rally to be held in city on January 30, which will coincide with the culmination of the `Manavata Sandesh Yatra' taken out by Youth Congress from Sewagram to Nagpur. Top party leaders have been invited to address the rally. The State NSUI is holding a two-day meeting at Aurangabad from January 27, he revealed.

Party leaders including former minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, former Nagpur MP Banwarilal Purohit, Youth Congress president Anees Ahmed, MPCC joint secretary Girish Gandhi, District Congress Committee PresidentSudhakar Deshmukh and Anantrao Gharad were present at the press conference.