The process of government formation in Maharashtra gained momentum on Thursday evening with consultations by state and central leaders with party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, former chief minister of the state, had a meeting with Gandhi on the issue. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also arrived in New Delhi in the evening for talks with central leaders.
Senior party leader and Defence Minister A K Antony, the in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra also met Gandhi along with her political secretary Ahmed Patel.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Prabha Rau who is also a former Pradesh Congress Committee chief of Maharashtra too met the Congress president.
The series of meetings came amid indications by the chief minister Ashok Chavan on Wednesday that government formation will take place within 48 hours.
The issue of government formation has been pending for the last 14 days and on Wednesday, Governor S C Jamir asked the coalition partners Congress and Nationalist Congress Party to honour the mandate of the people.
The Maharashtra election results were declared on October 22 in which the Congress-NCP was voted back to power for a third consecutive term but deadlock continued between the two coalition partners for the allocation of portfolios with NCP asking Congress to stick to the 1999 formula.