Indicating that NCP might stake a claim for the post of chief minister if it emerged as the single-largest party in Assembly elections, party leader Ajit Pawar today said it will not repeat the "mistakes" it had committed after 2004 elections.
The NCP in polls that year had forsaken its claim for the top post in favour of Congress.
The deputy chief minister also justified the demand for contesting 144 seats in October 15 elections to 288-member House, even though the consensus on sharing of seats continue to elude the ruling alliance partners.
"Congress has rejected our demand for equal seats. We are hopeful that intervention of Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi will help to resolve the deadlock," he said.
Responding to a query, the NCP stalwart said: "Past mistakes will not be repeated if NCP emerges as the single- largest party, as it did in 2004 assembly polls."
In 2004, NCP had emerged as the single-largest party with 71 seats but ceded the chief ministerial post to ally Congress in return for two additional Cabinet and three ministers of state.
"NCP wants an alliance with Congress but if some people want to go alone we are also ready," he said.
To a question on whether he would be the chief ministerial candidate, Ajit told reporters that elected MLAs of the party will decide on their leader.
Ajit said the NCP's demand for 144 seats was justified.
"It is a practical demand. Earlier, formulae were worked out on the basis of previous election results. So according to the latest Lok Sabha poll result we deserve equal sharing. There is no headway in Congress-NCP talks so far, he said.
Meanwhile, state unit Congress president Manikrao Thakre dismissed the statement of his NCP counterpart Sunil Tatkare that NCP was still awaiting a proposal from Congress on seat-sharing talks.
"Staying adamant on a particular number of seats and blaming us for not inviting them for talks is not correct," Thakre told reporters separately.
