The party council had unanimously decided in favour of preserving its alliance with the Congress in the coming elections.

``I don't think that an electoral understanding with the proposed front of Pawar is possible since we are bound by the May 11 resolution of the party,'' said senior RPI leader and former Member of Parliament R S Gavai, adding that the resolution left little leeway for discussions with the expelled leader too. In the same breath, however, Gavai also said that in view of the recent developments in the Congress, senior leaders of RPI will meet on May 25. ``We will ensure that there is no division of voteswhich will help the communal and divisive forces,'' he added.

The views expressed by the veteran RPI leader assumes significance since the proposed Pawar-front is banking on an alliance with the RPI in view of it's clout in 12 Lok Sabha constituencies. In the last elections the RPI had won all the four seats it had contested - Akola, Amravati, North Central Mumbai and Chimur - in consonance with the Congress.

Gavai, who refused to comment on the expulsion, however made strong objections to the issues raised by Pawar in his letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

``I feel there is no substance in the contention that a person of foreign origin cannot occupy constitutional posts in India,'' he said. Gavai, who had been chairman of the State Legislative Council for two consecutive terms, noted that except in the US, nowhere in the world is there a ban on foreigners holding constitutional posts.

According to Gavai, the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was very clear in his mind onthis matter. Gavai was also firm that the RPI would oppose any Constitutional amendment to bar persons of foreign origin from holding the posts of the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister.