The party also thinks that Lok Sabha elections will be held at the "normal time" next year and there will be no snap polls. It endorsed as "pragmatic" the views of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the deal is not worth risking the government.

"Our desire is to contest elections with Congress. We feel the UPA should collectively fight the elections as UPA.

We will prefer to fight along with UPA partners throughout India like we do in Maharashtra and Goa," Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Sharad Pawar said during an interaction with journalists on Friday.

He categorically rejected the possibility of going with the BJP and suggested that nothing should be read in the saffron party giving outside support to the coalition government in Meghalaya in which NCP plays an important role.

Pawar, who is a member of the UPA-Left Committee on the nuclear deal, gave indications that it would be difficult to push through the deal in the face of Left opposition.

"It is a coalition government and we are running it with the support of Left and it is very valuable. If any of our supporters are raising any concerns, then it is the responsibility of those sitting in the seat of power to explain to them and remove their concerns. We are in the process of doing it," he said.

Asked if the Left parties were amenable to persuasion, Pawar said "they have made some suggestions and we have to take precautions. If they (Left) have not insisted on them, we may not have taken these precautions like the process of discussions and negotiations.

"One thing is clear. We have to take everybody together. If the majority in Parliament is against the deal, if we are not able to convince them, it is not an easy decision for the government to go ahead with it. That is why, it is our responsibility to convince."

Asked about Mukherjee's remarks on the deal, Pawar said "they are absolutely pragmatic. I said this one year back if we can continue as a majority then we can take a decision.

But if we lose the majority, then we cannot take a decision-- deal or no deal."

To a question whether it can be said categorically if the nuclear deal is on or off, he said "I can't say that.....if we can convince them (Left)".

He disagreed with a questioner that the UPA and the Left allies were indulging in a hide and seek game over the deal and said the Left parties are an important ally and their concerns need to be addressed. So, there was no question of a hide and seek game, he added.

To a question about the possibility of early elections, the NCP veteran said "I expect elections at normal time. I do not expect elections in May, June or October as the media is writing."

Asked whether that was the message the allies have given to Congress, he said they have not discussed it but in the interactions it has been conveyed. This was also the message they got from "friends from the other side" as nobody wants elections.

Queried about the possibility of going together with Congress in the next elections, Pawar said that was the desire but "unfortunately it is not happening". There were problems in some states where parties within the alliance were at loggerheads with each other.

To a question whether the UPA alliance was confident of returning to power, Pawar said, "I am confident that all of us will come together. There will be certain forces we cannot neglect.

"There is BSP or SP in Uttar Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, other parties are there. In Andhra Pradesh, there is one party you cannot neglect. In that situation, it is difficult to say how combinations and alignments will come up."

Asked about the possibility of all former Congress leaders coming together under one umbrella, he said it may not be possible.

To a question if Samajwadi Party headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav would be a part of UPA in next elections, Pawar said "anybody subscribing to the coalition idea is welcome".

Maintaining that the days of single party rule were over, Pawar said coalitions have come to stay for at least 8 to 10 years and it would be either Congress-led or BJP-led government as the numbers game would edge out the "so-called Third Front".

Visualising the possibility of the Congress-led coalition having to depend on Left parties for support to form the government, he said that would rule out Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee coming into this alliance.

Asked whether UPA would project a Prime Ministirial candidate to counter L K Advani, Pawar said Congress as a major party had to take a decision but he had not seen for a number of years the party doing so.

To a question whether he would accept projection of Sonia Gandhi, the Minister shot back "she has already said that I am not interested in becoming Prime Minister."

Asked whether he saw emergence of a "Dhoni" in politics or the possibility of Rahul Gandhi becoming Prime Minister, he said "I do not want to comment on individuals." Pawar was effusive in his praise for Manmohan Singh hailing him as a democratic Prime Minister, "The one speciality about Manmohan Singh is to take all parties in confidence. He always respects others. He never interferes in any ministry."

The NCP chief, who was the Defence Minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government, said the working of Manmohan Singh is "much more democratic".

The Agriculture Minister said there was "nothing fishy" in his meeting with Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray recently and pointed out that despite being severe critics of eath other in political life they have maintained good personal relations for the last 40 years.