According to sources, Dhawan is camping in a posh Delhi hotel for the past week and has met senior Congress leaders. He is accompanied by SJP local president Devinder Singh Babla and local Congress leaders. He is likely to make a formal announcement in a few days.

While sources close to Dhawan say that he might join the local unit of the party, Congress sources indicate that he may join as the president of the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee. Later, sources add, his wife, who is a municipal councilor, may also join the Congress fold.

This assumes significance after the resignation of former union minister Venod Sharma from the post, after son Manu was accused in the Jessica Lal murder case.

Incidentally, none who are aspiring for the Congress ticket from Chandigarh, are interested in taking over as thepresident of the party.

Dhawan's entry into the Congress fold at the time of Parliamentary elections also assumes significance, as he is considered to have a strong-hold among the poor in colonies and slums.

Meanwhile, Congress aspirants for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency are furiously lobbying for the ticket and are reportedly camping in Delhi for the past few days. These include Pawan Kumar Bansal, Venod Sharma and Manish Tewari, besides Chaman Lal Sharma, who is an Income Tax lawyer and also the president of Chandigarh Club.