Suspense mounted on who will form the next government on the eve of counting of votes as Congress and the BJP worked overtime to cobble up an alliance to reach the magic figure of 272.
"Everything is fluid," said NCP leader Praful Patel as political leaders confabulated with one-time allies, friends and foes hoping to bring them on to their side.
Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, Ahmad Patel and Digvijay Singh were huddled in talks till late last night.
Given his good equation with CPI-M veterans Jyoti Basu and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Mukherjee may be given the task of opening up the lines of communication with Left parties.
A meeting between BJP president Rajnath Singh and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh at a wedding reception last night set the political circles abuzz. The SP leader, however, dismissed the media speculation.
In the midst of the hectic parleys, Congress and the BJP put up brave fronts each claiming that it will lead the next government.
"People are aware that it is only Congress which can provide a stable government. All our allies are happy with us," said Jayanthi Natarajan of Congress.
However, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar expressed confidence that his party will emerge as the single largest with more 30 seats that the Congress.
"NDA will emerge as the single largest coalition with 50 seats more than UPA," he claimed.
"All options are open. Everything will depend on the numbers," said Amar Singh.
The SP leader said he was in touch with CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury and would be speaking to NCP leader Sharad Pawar.
The Fourth Front, comprising Lalu Yadav's RJD, Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP and SP have said the combine was averse to having any alliance with the BJP as also mayawati's BSP.
"Everybody is talking to everyone," Patel went on to add.
JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav adopted a cautious approach. "There are some people with whom we are talking with some belief. The talks have been ongoing since yesterday night," he said without elaborating.
Congress continued to woo its one-time allies. "Congress does not use and throw its allies. We had a difference of opinion with RJD, LJP and the SP over the number of seats allotted to our party but they continued to be ministers and continue to be part of the UPA," explained Natarajan.
The Left parties firmly rule out the possibility of any tie up with the BJP. "We shall prevent formation of a BJP-led government. This does not mean that automatically there would be a blanket support to a government led by the Congress," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta contended.
Pranab Mukherjee had discussions with Amar Singh yesterday but Congress sources claimed there was no discussion with regard to SP being part of a UPA government.
Singh said SP's long term relationship would depend on what the party got after "bargaining", which would be based on the number of seats SP secures.
"Congress will talk to us if we have the numbers," Singh said.
AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad is believed to be in touch with AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha while the party has opened talks with Praja Rajyam Party chief Chiranjeevi.
Telugu mega star Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party is understood to be moving closer to Congress with reports saying that its general secretary A Arvind has sent feelers to the party.
However, Congress has no plans to rope in TDP which is its main rival in Andhra Pradesh, party sources said.
In a bid to rope in BJD in the UPA fold, Congress President Sonia Gandhi was said to have spoken to BJD leader Naveen Patnaik, but neither side confirmed it.
After SP leaders met LJP Chief Ram Vilas Paswan yesterday, RLD leader Ajit Singh had a meeting with Paswan today.