Setting aside contentious issues, the NCP has indicated its willingness to forge a pre-poll alliance with the Congress, its main partner in the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra, to fight the Shiv Sena-BJP saffron combine in the assembly election due in 2004.

"The result of the Gujarat election has indicated that all secular forces should unite and engage communal elements in a straight contest. To this end, we are ready to keep contentious issues aside," NCP spokesman Praful Patel told reporters in Mumbai late on Tuesday night.

The NCP was formed by Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar after they broke away from the Congress on the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi' foreign origins.

Patel said the alliance should not be confined only to the assembly polls but extended to the general election as well.

The NCP leadership began a brainstorming session on Tuesday where among other things the party was expected to review the performance of its ministers in the Maharashtra government.

Recently, Dr Padamsinh Patil was divested of his energy portfolio by the NCP leadership.

Asked about the significance of the conclave, Patel said there was a need to change the face of the DF government and emphasised the need for both the Congress and NCP to work in this direction.

Reacting to reports of a possible move by the Congress to replace Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the NCP spokesman said, "It is purely an internal matter of the party, but the Congress should consult us before effecting any such change."

More reports from Maharashtra