The NCP has moved its flock of MLAs - said to be around 50 - from one Mumbai hotel to another on Sunday evening in an attempt to throw poachers off the scent. In scenes that wouldn't look out of place in a spy-thriller, the Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)have all scrambled to guard their respective MLAs against offers to cross the aisle and support the BJP in a floor test that could be called by the end of the month. The BJP, which emerged from last month's election with 105 seats in the 288-seat Assembly, needs around 40 more to reach the majority mark andretain power in the state.

The NCP MLAs, who were holed up in the Renaissance Hotel,were shifted to the Grand Hyatt hotel in Santacruz East. Sources said they were moved because there was too much disturbance at their current location; the Lalit and JW Marriott, where the Sena and the Congress have stashed their MLAs,respectively, are both nearby.

Shortly before news of the transfer was revealed, NCP leaderAjit Pawar, who on Saturday led a breakaway faction of 10-11 MLAs to supportthe BJP in government formation, was involved in a Twitter exchange with SharadPawar, the NCP chief and his uncle.

On Saturday Ajit Pawar had claimed that all 54 of the NCP'sMLAs would support the BJP. However, as the day wore on his uncle manged toround up his flock (with help from vigilant Sena workers at Mumbai airport) andthat number dropped to five.

On Sunday, while the NCP MLAs were being spoken to by SharadPawar and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar went on a tweet overdrive,ending with a few that suggested his uncle backed the NCP supporting the BJP. Aswift denial from Sharad Pawar followed, in which he called his nephew'sstatement "false and misleading in order to create confusion".

Meanwhile, at the NCP meeting some MLAs claimed that AjitPawar had offered them minister's posts to support the BJP.TheSena-Congress-NCP alliance approached the Supreme Court today demanding animmediate floor test. The court declined to oblige and, instead, asked theCentre to produce two key letters by 10.30 am on Monday.Pandemonium broke outin Maharashtra in the early hours of Saturday morning after the BJP returned topower. Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar becamehis deputy. The move came only hours after a tripartite meeting between theShiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP, which was attended by Ajit Pawar, appearedto all but settle the question of government formation.BJP MLAs also held ameeting today that was attended by Chief Minister Fadnavis. Party leader AshishShelar, briefing media after the meet, said they had discussed strategies towin the floor test.