Addressing reporters on Monday, Athawale disclosed that the petition, which will come up for hearing on Tuesday, among other things has demanded restoration of RPI's symbol, the rising sun, in favour of his `majority' group.

If not, the RPI splinter group leader said, he was in favour of freezing the symbol, which gave state-level recognition to the `undivided' RPI in Maharashtra, after the 1998 Lok Sabha polls.

He claimed that RPI workers, specially in Maharashtra were disappointed over the Election Commission's decision based on the `fabricated' documents submitted by the rival group led by R S Gavai and Prof Jogendra Kawade.

Noting that the EC had frozen the symbol of the Janata Dal and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and allotted them different symbols each,Athawale said, under the circumstances the EC had not done justice to his `majority' group.

The NCP led by Sharad Pawar would not extend support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form a government at the Centre, after failing to gain majority in Lok Sabha elections, he said replying to a question on the post-poll scenario.

He was confident that the NCP, Samajwadi Party, the JD (United) and Left Front would form a government at the Centre with the support of the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi to prevent the BJP and other communal forces from coming to power at the Centre and in Maharashtra. If necessary, the Third Front partners would extend support to the Congress for the formation of government, for the same reasons, he further said.

The United JD, comprising Sharad Yadav's JD, Samata Party and Lok Shakti will come out of the NDA after the polls, he claimed adding that this would lead to formation of the Third Front government at the Centre.

The NCP President had assured 15 per centshare in power for the RPI in Maharashtra, where NCP would form the government with the help of `secular' parties, including the Congress, he added.