Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has dropped the contentious foreign origin issue, today (May 29, 2004) ruled out merger with its parent Congress as of now.

"It is not an issue before us as of now," NCP president Sharad Pawar told a press conference when asked about the existence of his party, which was formed over the issue of foreign origin.

Elaborating further, Pawar, who was addressing his maiden press conference in the metropolis after assuming charge of Union Agriculture Ministry, clarified that NCP will maintain its separate identity.

"The party will maintain its separate identity and our efforts will be to strengthen the organisation," he said.

When his attention was drawn to the fact that with the dropping of the foreign origin issue, there were no ideological differences between the NCP and Congress, Pawar said, "The NCP will formulate its strategy as what course should be adopted in future at its national executive."

When asked about Sonia Gandhi's decision of abdicating Prime Ministership, Pawar said, "It is not an easy thing, we welcomed it."

To a query whether he was satisfied with the Agriculture Ministry in the backdrop that earlier he had handled Defence Ministry, the Maratha strongman said his party had insisted for the Agriculture portfolio and "NCP's demands have been fulfilled 100 per cent and we are happy with that."