New Delhi,  After the national council meeting of NCP on Sunday, party general secretary Praful Patel said that Sharad Pawar was not a contender for the prime minister's post, and the opposition unity was paramount.

He said Pawar was going to play an important role to bring many forces together.

Patel said, "Sharad Pawar was never and will never be the PM face. He only speaks about the real issues of this country. Some workers of the party expressed their views but Sharad Pawar is not aspiring for the PM post.

"We know our limitations and he is not the opposition's face but will play an important role."

Patel said the NCP was going to play a key role in the upcoming General Elections. But the party's stand was clear that there was a need for the Opposition to unite.

"We were also a part of the UPA government. We don't have any such issue with the Congress," he said.

Sharad Pawar was re-elected as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President on Saturday unopposed during the party's national executive meeting.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was in the national capital recently met scores of political leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, CPI-M Secretary General Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D. Raja and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Nitish Kumar's purpose of visit was to talk about the opposition unity. He is likely to meet Sonia Gandhi when she returns from abroad. Kumar had also met RJD leader Lalu Prasad and TRS Chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao.A

Nitish Kumar officially denied any prime ministerial ambition, but the political commentators feel that the target is PM's chair. However, the biggest obstacle is the Congress, which is maintaining that being the biggest political formation it's going to the fulcrum of any alliance.