Mumbai: In a significant step towards Opposition unity ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Dec 28, 2003) said her party was open to an alliance with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

"If we want to defeat the anti-secular forces, then all of us should put aside our differences to form a compact alliance," Gandhi said addressing her maiden press conference in Mumbai.

When Gandhi's attention was drawn to NCP president Sharad Pawar's statement that his party was willing to set aside the contentious issue of foreign origin, she said, "I am not aware of Pawarji's statement."

Asked about the possibilities of NCP merging with Congress with the former putting on backburner the issue of foreign origin, Gandhi said, "There are no talks as yet but the issue can be discussed."

Gandhi said Congress is "willing to work with like-minded parties to defeat anti-secular forces". "We are working with other parties in Governments in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya and this is a signal ahead."

The Congress president emphasised on the need for putting up a compact fight to defeat communal forces by forming an alliance of secular parties.