New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS): The Congress Tuesday termed as "preposterous" claims that it had approached the Nationalist Congress Party to support a Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra and affirmed that it will never support the party.

Congress general secretary Ajay Maken also took a dig at the NCP, the party's former ally, for offering outside support to the BJP to form a government in Maharashtra.

Asked about claims by an NCP leader that the Congress approached him to jointly support the Shiv Sena to form a government in Maharashtra, Maken said: "It is preposterous. The Congress has never in the past supported parties like Shiv Sena and will never support it in the future too."

"There are parties who have never remained out of power and they may still like to be in power, but the Congress in the past also has bounced back after playing the role of a vigilant opposition. Even now we intend to play this role," Maken added.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar Monday claimed that a Congress leader had approached him with plans to support the Shiv Sena in government formation, but the NCP did not agree to the move.

Maken also sought to rub in to the Bharatiya Janata Party over its need of support from parties it had slammed during the election campaign.

"It is for the BJP to now decide whether it will join hands with the 'Hafta Wasuli Party' or the 'Naturally Corrupt Party'. They also need to explain as to what has happened in two days that has changed their hearts," he said.