Sunday, November 6 2005 09:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh yesterday (Nov 05, 2005) met Congress President Sonia Gandhi amid reports that he planned a Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle in the state.

There are two vacancies in the state Cabinet, which would go to the Congress, and Deshmukh has said he would like to fill them before the Winter Session of the assembly, beginning on December 5.

It was not immediately clear whether the party chief has given him the go ahead for the exercise.

The meeting took place a day after three Shiv Sena MLAs, owing allegiance to Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, quit the party and their seats in the assembly to join the Congress.

Rane was expelled from the Sena a few months ago.