Who did what on eve of Verdict 2009

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) As India waited with bated breath for Verdict 2009 less than 24 hours away, major political parties were busy number crunching and reaching out to potential allies, while some leaders kept their fingers crossed hoping for victory when the results are known Saturday.

It was a hectic day of confabulating for party leaders.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Ghulam Nabi Azad, the party general secretary in-charge of Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Puducherry, and held parleys with party leaders to chalk out strategies as a fractured mandate looked to be a certainty.

While Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani held consultations with party leaders and some partners of the National Democratic Alliance at his residence, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat and other movers and shakers of the Left parties were engaged in animated discussions in the national capital.

Here is what some other leaders did in various states:

Uttar Pradesh:

Bahujan Samaj Party leader and Chief Minister Mayawati: She spent the day in state capital Lucknow and convened several meetings of party leaders to discuss the party's post-poll strategy.

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav: He was camping in Delhi and presided over the party meetings to discuss his gameplan.

Tamil Nadu:

DMK boss and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi: He decided to take rest. No appointments were given to anybody.

AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa: She confined herself to her Poes Garden residence and party officials were not aware if she had any appointments with any political leader.

Himachal Pradesh:

Virbhadra Singh, former five-time state chief minister of the Congress: Back in the warmth of his family after more than two months of back-breaking campaigning, Singh was not meeting anyone, including partymen or taking calls.

'Sorry, Raja Saab is taking rest,' is the one-line reply at the entrance of his residence in the state capital. He is popularly known as Raja Saab in the state.

Chandigarh:

Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh (Congress) has been relaxing with family and friends in Chandigarh for the last two days after the tough election campaign. His wife Preneet Kaur was in the fray from Patiala while son Raninder Singh was launched from the Bathinda seat against Harsimrat Kaur, wife of Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Haryana:

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Congress) flew into Delhi to join the political confabulations.

Andhra Pradesh:

Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (Congress): He met close friend and Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramchandra Rao and other close confidants within the party. Not attending any other meeting.

N. Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party chief): He held a series of meetings with the party senior leaders.

Orissa:

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik (Biju Janata Dal) preferred to stay at home Naveen Nivas in state capital Bhubaneswar the entire day. He did not meet anybody and instructed the staff not to disturb him.

Karnataka:

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa (BJP) flew in to Delhi to attend a meeting of NDA leaders.

Assam:

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi (Congress) left for violence-torn North Cachar Hills district to review the law and order situation in view of stepped up attacks by tribal militants in the past two weeks.

'I have to carry out my responsibilities and run the government and hence decided to visit the Hills district... I am absolutely tension free as I know the Congress party in Assam would get eight to nine of the 14 seats when results are announced,' the chief minister told IANS.