Revising his stand on accepting the prime ministerial chair on Saturday, Basu told journalists: "I have nothing to say. The decision lies with the politburo". An influential member of politburo, Sitaram Yechury, went on record saying his party was reviewing the position held earlier.

CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet was more circumspect in his remark. While stating that the party had not changed his stand yet, he said the politburo's emergency meeting was taking place on Sunday to review the political situation.

The Congress party appeared to be waiting with bated breath the developments in the CPI(M) politburo meeting. It did not hold its official briefing on Saturday but informally retainedthe line that it stood for a minority government with support from other parties from outside.

According to CWC member Pranab Mukherjee, 180 out of 207 MPs (including those of the Rajya Sabha) met Sonia Gandhi at her residence on Saturday and reiterated their faith and support in her leadership.

Individually, several members are reported to have told her that, if necessary, the Congress should not desist from giving support to a Third Front-led government. These members were clearly of the view that mid-term poll must be avoided at all costs.

Sonia held consultations with CWC members as well to discuss the political scenario. There appeared to be a wait and watch stand as on late Saturday evening even though for the record they reiterated the party's old position - that the Congress stood for a minority government.

In the fast changing political scenario on Saturday, it was AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha who hogged the limelight. She met President Narayanan briefly followed by her meeting with SoniaGandhi and Mulayam Singh, separately.

Though she declined to divulge the details of her meeting with them, she asserted that an alternative government would be in place "in two days". Jayalalitha, it may be recalled, was the first leader to prop up Jyoti Basu's name for the prime ministerial chair saying she would be "overjoyed" if he accepted the position. Subsequently, Mulayam Singh took it further at a meeting of non-Congress leaders in his house.

According to political observers, it would be difficult for the Congress to oppose Basu's name for the PM's post if the politburo cleared it. In fact, even Sonia Gandhi gave an impression after a meeting with him two days ago that she was not opposed to him but that he himself was not agreeable to the suggestion.

The six-member Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav met President Narayanan on Saturday and conveyed to him his party's support to an alternative secular government. It was quite indicative of a support to the Third-Front led government.

There waslittle change in the Samajwadi Party stand, judging by SP general secretary Amar Singh's statement. He reiterated that his party was neither for a Congress government nor for a BJP-led government. His party was would support a government which accepted its demand for a "quota within quota" on women's reservation, apart from some other demands for upliftment of minorities, dalits and the backward.

On their part, the BJP and the allies met again on Saturday and reiterated their faith on the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee and held the view that only they could provide a stable government.

The BJP regretted President Narayanan giving more time to Sonia Gandhi to cobble up a majority. Part general secretary JP Mathur questioned her credentials for a second meeting with the President after she failed to muster support of 272 MPs she claimed during the first meeting.

BJP MP and constitutional expert LM Singhvi went a step further in his attack on Rashtrapati Bhavan. Referring to Sonia's meeting with thePresident on Friday evening, he said in a statement: "Too much time, taken or given, will breed dark thoughts of horse trading and similar practices." The President must put his foot down on any further delay, he said.

Even so, BJP leader Jaswant Singh, accompanied by DMK leader Murasoli Maran and MDMK chief Vaiko, met President Narayanan on Saturday for 40 minutes to discuss the situation. He reportedly told the President that only the BJP and the allies under Vajpayee could give stability to the government and that the opposition's "politics of caretaker government for electoral advantage" should be outrightly rejected.

According to party spokesman Venkiah Naidu, the President told the delegation that BJP would also be called as part of the consultation process once the first round was over.