The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet in New Delhi Friday to review the party's poll performance and evolve future strategy regarding formation of a Congress-led government at the centre.

Newly-elected Congress members will also meet either Friday or Saturday, political secretary to the party president Ahmed Patel told PTI.

In its meeting tomorrow, the CWC is likely to formally authorise party president Sonia Gandhi to hold talks with allies and other "like-minded non-NDA secular" parties to cobble an alternative to the BJP-led government, Patel said.

Meanwhile, upbeat Congress leaders said the people had rejected the BJP-led NDA government and expressed faith in the party and allies.

"Results are on expected lines and we are going to defeat NDA. Congress and its allies will be able to form government at the Centre," AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes said.

Senior party leader Salman Khursheed said the trends indicated that the BJP has lost the mandate of the people.

At the time of updating this report, the Congress was leading in 216 seats, the NDA was leading in 191, and Others were ahead in 110 seats.