The Pawar loyalists, of course, have little choice but some of them are expressing the dilemma. We hate to make a choice and would like to see the issue resolved amicably, said a few Pawar group MLAs today. More vocal was Chhagan Bhujbal, leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council who defected from the Sena at Pawar's insistence. He spent time with his leader but later stated clearly that ``I am in the Congress, with the Congress and the Congress here needs Pawar as much Sonia Gandhi''.

Though Pawar kept receiving telephone calls from various parts ofthe state and across the country -- some to merely establish contact and others to pledge support for his stand -- there was an undeniable diffidence in revealing their identity. Later Pawar himself said that he had asked many callers, especially leaders from other states, to not make their support public at this juncture. Asked if he had the support of at least 50 per cent of the state's 78 MLAs, Pawar dismissed the issue saying, ``I am not doing arithmetic.''

Only when PA Sangma returns from the US on May 20th will the rebel trio meet again and discuss their course of action in the light of Gandhi's resignation and the nation-wide support she has evoked since Monday night. They are in regular touch with each other but will finalise a definitive action plan in the next few days. Pawar has proceeded to Pune to keep other non-political appointments for the next two days.

The support for Gandhi is clearly more visible. As the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) joined other PCCs across the countryin appealing to her to withdraw her resignation and assorted leaders went on indefinite hunger fasts, PCC president Prataprao Bhosale make a strong demand for disciplinary action against Pawar. The PCC has called a formal meeting of all MLAs and state leaders tomorrow to make a definite show of strength.

``It is most unfortunate that Pawar and his colleagues have been carried away by trivia...by raising the hypothetical issue of Prime Ministership being offered to a foreign born national, Pawar, Sangma and Anwar have likened themselves to the hollow cry of the BJP and thus abetted confusion among the party ranks. Your decision to resign has sent shockwaves amongst the people of Maharashtra,'' states the letter to Gandhi signed by 12 PCC office-bearers.

Major Sudhir Sawant, AICC secretary, said that ``the Congress without Sonia Gandhi is a big zero and the party would suffer if she did not relent on her resignation.'' Meanwhile, activists of the Maharashtra Youth Congress and Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congresscontinued to hold dharnas and demonstrations at party offices to condemn Pawar and the stand taken by him.