Monday, July 4 2005 20:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Congress today (July 4, 2005) gave indications that former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, who was expelled from Shiv Sena, would be welcome in the Congress.

"There is absolutely no problem from my side... There has been no such proposal as yet. If there is one, we will certainly consider it," party General Secretary Margaret Alva told reporters when asked whether Rane was welcome to the party.

Replying to a question, she said that there would not be any bitterness in the party's relationship with NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) if Rane decided to join the Sharad Pawar-led party.

In the party briefing, party spokesman Anand Sharma ruled out any change in the complexion of the Congress-led coalition in Maharashtra if Rane and his supporters were admitted to NCP and thereby raising the tally of the Pawar-led party.

Sharma said the developments in Shiv Sena which showed that the party was heading for a split indicated that allies of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) were also "afflicted by the disease" of differences and dissensions of the saffron party.