A crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision making body of the party, began on Thursday on issues relating to firming up of alliances, finalising the manifesto and coining the winning strategy for the Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting started at 10.30 am in the morning at the residence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi [Images]. This is the first meeting in the recent past in which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] would not participate as he has recently undergone a coronary by-pass surgery.

"The current political situation in the country and the strategy of the party for the Lok Sabha elections is likely to be discussed," at the meeting, Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed had said on Wednesday.

The coming elections will witness a three-corner contest between the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties, which are trying to form a third alternative along with several regional parties like the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.

Gandhi, who is also the UPA chairperson, has already stated that the Congress would fight the elections as part of a coalition. She had also given clear indications that the

UPA will go to the polls projecting Dr Singh as its prime ministerial candidate.

The CWC is also likely to discuss the claims of various UPA allies like the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nationalist Congress Party for seat-sharing in states like Uttar Pradesh [Images], Bihar and Maharashtra respectively.

The four states -- UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal -- together will send 212 members to the Lok Sabha and it is crucial for the party to perform well in these states along with their allies to retain power at the Centre.

The other states where the party hopes to enter into an alliance with regional parties are Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir [Images]. The seat-sharing formula in these states is also likely to figure in the CWC discussions.