MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister Jayant Patil has claimed that 14-15 BJP MLAs from the state are in touch with Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, but the ruling alliance is not willing to commit the mistake of "poaching" Opposition leaders.

Patil's comment came in the wake of a Congress allegation that BJP was carrying out an Operation Lotus in Madhya Pradesh to bring down the Kamal Nath government.

Patil, who is Maharashtra NCP chief, accused BJP of being desperate for power. "Fourteen to 15 MLAs of the opposition party are in touch with us even today. We have to do their work as we share good relations with them (the MLAs). We understand their mindset," Patil told reporters outside the state legislature complex here.

"Yet, it is not right to poach legislators...We don't intend to make that mistake. Our focus is on ensuring our government sustains," he added.

BJP emerged as the single largest party in Maharashtra after the assembly polls in October last year. But it failed to form the government after the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena snapped ties with it over sharing the chief ministerial post.

Congress on Wednesday alleged a "poaching" bid on its MLAs and allies by Opposition BJP in Madhya Pradesh. BJP, however, denied any move to topple the Kamal Nath government, which is surviving on support of over half a dozen Independent, SP and BSP MLAs, and asked the ruling party to keep its own house in order.

Nath asserted that there was no threat to his government.