Congress sources said that party leaders would take another two days to finalise the list of candidates.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Prataprao Bhosale has been camping in New Delhi, holding a series of meetings with other leaders.

Sources said party leaders were divided on who should be the Lok Sabha candidate. Suresh Kalmadi was said to be insisting that the ticket be given to city unit chief Mohan Joshi while other leaders were either supporting V.N.Gadgil's son Anant or former Pune mayor Vandana Chavan.

Sources said that leaders like S B Chavan and A R Antulay were not in favour of a Kalmadi nominee as they feared it would send a wrong signal down the ranks. Besides, these leaders also wanted to check Kalmadi's growing influence, the sources said.

But Kalmadi opponents too were divided with a section supporting Vandana Chavan while others were said to be backing Anant Gadgil.

Sources said that names of the six Assembly candidates would not be finalised till such time the issue of the Lok Sabha candidate was resolved. The reason was simple. Various groups would have to be accommodated in the distribution of tickets for the Assembly polls.

Kalmadi was said to be espousing the candidature of Chandrakant Chhajed (Bopodi), Kamal Vyavhare (Kasba Peth) and Ali Somaji (Bhavani Peth). Nominations of Anil Bhosale (Shivajinagar) and Balasaheb Shivarkar (Pune Cantonment) were said to be almost certain. Sources said V N Gadgil was backing the case of Shalutai Buddhivant (Parvati), Suresh Shewale (Bopodi) and Prakash Dhere (Bhavani Peth).

The Congress alliance with two factions of RPI -- one led by Prakash Ambedkar and another by R S Gavai -- has further complicated the situation as both groups are demanding at least one Assembly seat.

Sources said the Congress could ultimately give up Bhavani Peth seat to the Ambedkar group while Bopodi could be turned over to the Gavai group.

But Congress leaders appeared divided over the seats to be given to the RPI.

Kalmadi was said to be of the view that RPI be given Bhavani Peth so that his staunch supporter Chandrakant Chhajed could be given the ticket from Bopodi. Gadgil, however, wanted Bopodi for RPI to clear the way for his supporter Prakash Dhere.