The Congress's stance that it will contest future elections in Maharashtra on its own will be short-lived and the ruling alliance will remain intact, state NCP chief Jayant Patil said in Osmanabad on Thursday.
State Congress chief Nana Patole had recently caused a flutter in the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine by declaring that his party will contest elections on its own in future.
Asked about Patole's statement, Patil said, "That stand will not last long. Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena are sensible parties. They will stay united. But If Congress insists (that it will go it alone), then NCP and Shiv Sena will fight elections jointly," he said.
Patil was talking to reporters after visiting Tulajabhavani temple at Tuljapur.
He also met NCP leaders from Tuljapur and Omerga constituencies.
Patil, who handles the water resources ministry, also held a review meeting at the collector's office in Osmanabad.
Osmanabad and Beed districts will get water from the Krishna-Marathwada irrigation project by June 2023, he said. Permission for the second phase of the project was given in February 2021 with allocation of Rs 1,000 crore, the minister added.