Options open for alliances except with communal parties: Congress

Dismissing suggestions that UPA was shrinking, Congress today said all options are open for it to align with any party except the communal ones.

"I do not agree with the proposition at all...Before the elections, all options are always open for alliances except with communal parties," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Singhvi's remarks came in reply to questions whether the Congress-led UPA which has been in power for the past ten years was shrinking ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the wake of reports of unease between the Congress and its allies.

His remarks also came in the backdrop of BJP dubbing the Congress as a "sinking ship" which was being deserted by its passengers.

"Congress is a sinking ship and its passengers are deserting it. Sonia cannot deliver. Manmohan Singh is past. Rahul Gandhi is a failure. They know how Congress and UPA have made a mess of India. Allies are seeking greener pastures elsewhere," BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad earlier said.

Prasad was reacting to media reports regarding unease in Congress' ties with National Conference and that NCP President Sharad Pawar had met BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Delhi earlier this month.

Pawar has denied the reported meeting with Modi but NCP leader Praful Patel sought more "clarity" from Congress on their alliance in Maharashtra.

Prasad said Congress' allies were making "discordant" noises because they know it can not deliver.