This is probably the first time that both the Sena rebels are appearing at a Congress session. Though everybody knew that the duo held a series of meetings with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar after they were removed from the Manohar Joshi Government, they had been shying away from sharing public platforms with Congress leaders.

The invitation to the two rebels at a Congress conclave has given rise to speculations in the political circles. It is conjectured that the two have been roped in to finalise a strategy to topple the three-and-a-half year-old saffron Government in Maharashtra.

Political observers are surprised that the duo has been invited for thesession while senior Congress leaders have been ignored. Notable among the misses is Datta Meghe of Wardha.

According to sources, the Sena rebels are likely to meet Sonia Gandhi and chalk out a strategy for engineering large-scale defections during the winter session of the State Legislature at Nagpur.

If this happens, it will be a case of history repeating itself as it was during the Nagpur session of the State Legislature that the Congress had succeeded in splitting the Shiv Sena under the leadership of Chhagan Bhujbal.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member, Vilas Muttemwar, has been instructed to stay back at New Delhi to hold discussions with ticket-seekers for the Delhi Assembly elections.