NCP state President R R Patil has said that the party is prepared to forge an alliance with the Congress in the forthcoming Maharastra assembly elections.

"NCP is always in favour of alliance. We don't want distribution of secular votes.. so we are ready for an alliance with Congress and RPI," Patil said.

The former Home Minister was here to attend the party workers convention yesterday. "We want to fight the BJP-Shiv Sena in alliance with Congress and soon the picture will be clear," he said.

"In Loksabha elections, we had no reserved seat in NCP quota.. So the Congress gave seat to RPI leader Ramdas Athawale. Unfortunately he lost," Patil said adding, "we will try to change his mind for an alliance."

On the issue of Rajya Sabha candidature, the party leader said, "NCP has two seats and Deputy CM Chagan Bhujbal and myself discussed it with Athawale, but he refused and said he wanted victory through public voting."

On the recent bribery case, Patil said, "Buta has blamed that NCP is involved in pressing CBI to arrest his son.. This is totally a false allegation. We have nothing to do with the case and the investigating agency does not work on the directions of NCP." State Revenue minister Ranajagjit Singh Patil, Vinayak Mete, MLA Rahul Mote, Vikram Kale, Usha Darade were also present on the occasion.