New Delhi: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will reach Delhi Thursday evening and hold meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and top party leaders to strategise on forming the government in the state, sources said.

Gandhi has already spoken with Hooda and given him the go-ahead to work towards forming the government, they said. "Former Haryana CM Hooda is already in touch with JJP and Independents," a source close to him said.

Hectic political parleys are on with the BJP and the Congress locked in a tough contest on Thursday. There were no clear winners in the 90-member assembly, according to the latest trends.

The BJP was ahead in 36 seats, the Congress in 35 and the fledgling Jannayak Janta Party in 10. Independents are ahead in six, the BSP in one and the INLD in two.

The Congress last month named Kumari Selja chief of its state unit and appointed Hooda chairperson of the election management committee. Congress president Sonia Gandhi also appointed Hooda the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader.