New Delhi: In a virtual about turn, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on October 20 downplayed his remarks against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi dubbing them as "casual" and proposed a pre-poll alliance with Congress both in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls but does not visualise a Congress-led government at the Centre after next general elections.

"It was a casual remark...I had not taken the name of Sonia Gandhi. You don't talk everything serious in public meetings...some jokes and lighter things are also necessary," he told reporters.

PTI