Congress and its allies would stake claim to form a government at the Centre after the election of the Congress parliamentary party's leader and consultations with allies.

"We will stake claim to form a non-NDA government led by Congress after all the formalities are over," political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel told reporters.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi would interact with senior party leaders, including Congress Working

Committee members, on the formation of the government.

The CWC will formally meet on Friday to finalise the party's strategy and modalities to form the next government. It would be followed by a meeting of the newly elected Congress MPs, possibly on Friday evening, to elect Gandhi as their leader.

Gandhi will be having a joint meeting with leaders of Congress allies, possibly on May 15, to decide on the name of the leader who will head the government.