Tuesday, April 26 2005 09:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh yesterday (Apr 25, 2005) held consultations with the Central leadership of the Congress amid indications he would be given a green signal to add members to his Cabinet without any reshuffle of Ministers.

"I am here to meet Central leaders and party president Sonia Gandhi in connection with the expansion of the Maharashtra Cabinet," Deshmukh told sources in New Delhi.

There are three vacancies in the Congress quota of Ministers in the Congress- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Democratic Front Government.

Ahead of his meeting with Sonia today (Apr 26, 2005), he held consultations with All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in charge of Maharashtra, Margaret Alva.

The Chief Minister also ruled out Congress getting a Ministership from the NCP quota in lieu of the Rajya Sabha seat in favour of NCP State spokesman Vasant Chavan.

"It was a Shiv Sena seat, question of such a deal does not arise," he said.

Deshmukh's visit to Delhi has come at a time when the Central leadership is not too happy with some of his statements, including the one on influx of outsiders in Mumbai.

Besides the expansion of the State Cabinet, the party's Central leadership is also expected to utilise his visit to discuss organisational matters and also to make appointments to various boards and corporations.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Prabha Rau also arrived in New Delhi and is expected to meet party president Sonia Gandhi.