NCP leader Praful Patel

Amid predictions of a rout for the ruling Congress, one of its key allies today set off speculation on whether it could be contemplating jumping ship. Union minister Praful Patel , a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), today said his party preferred a "stable government" and if the BJP emerges as the single largest party, the mandate should be respected. ( Narendra Modi-led BJP Set For Victory, Exit Polls Show "We have been a part of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance), but the real issue is that the country needs a stable government," Mr Patel told reporters today.His comments come a day after most exit polls showed that the BJP and its allies will win the national election that ended yesterday. ( Exit Polls: Numbers Stack Up in Favour of BJP-Led NDA Mr Patel, whose NCP has partnered the Congress since 1999 and co-governs Maharashtra with it, also remarked, "The question is whether they reach a majority. Only time will tell if they need other parties. But it is clear that the government should be stable."But he refused to comment on whether that support could come from his party. "Don't draw us into conjecture. We have been a UPA ally but the real issue is that the country should get a stable government. As far as we are concerned, NCP has always acted as a responsible political party," Mr Patel said.On Monday, Mr Modi had in a blog post appeared to reach out to potential allies. "Yes, as political parties and candidates we have differing ideologies but our goal is one - to work for India and to fulfill the aspirations of our youth," he said. ( Narendra Modi blogs on the conclusion of 2014 Lok Sabha Elections "This is the right time to look ahead. It is a time to connect with each other." ( As National Election Ends, Narendra Modi's Poll Analysis on Twitter

The NCP has repeatedly denied reports of overtures towards the BJP-led coalition, which first started after its chief, Sharad Pawar, said in February that there was no need for a debate on Mr Modi's alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots when the courts had ruled on it.Mr Patel's comments set the NCP apart from a group of key non-Congress, non-BJP parties who have talked of an alternative front to prevent a Modi government from coming to power.