Mumbai: With spectre of hung Assembly looming large, the top leadership of the ruling Congress-NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) today (Oct 15, 2004) closeted to fine-tune its strategy for the post-poll scenario.

A day ahead of the counting of votes for 288-member Lower House, a meeting of senior DF (Democratic Front) leaders met at "Silver Oak", the residence of NCP president and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in affluent South Mumbai locality.

The ruling combination, which appears to have an edge in the crucial polls in most of the surveys, discussed in details ways and means to shore up support from the rebels and independents, the DF sources said.

"We took a district-wise and region-wise review of the elections," MPCC (Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee) chief Prabha Rau, who was present at the meeting, told waiting mediapersons.

She exuded confidence that the ruling combine will be able to form the next Government in Maharashtra.

It is understood that both the ruling partners will be talking to rebels, who have chances to win the polls, from their respective parties, and seek their support to facilitate the Government formation process.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of Governor Mohammed Fazal's communication to chiefs of political parties asking them to furnish details before October 18 about their pre-poll alliances and whether they wish to continue the same after the results.