New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday (Dec 19, 2004) ruled out merger of his party with Congress but said "the Gandhi-Nehru thinking and our thinking is on same lines."

"I will cooperate with Congress, both at national and State levels. But we will not merge and maintain a separate identity," Pawar told 'Aaj Tak'.

Asked about his differences with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said "there were issues but they have been sorted out."

To a question on the possibility of former NCP leader P A Sangma returning to the party-fold, he said, "We are talking to Sangma. He feels he should stay with NCP and work with us."