Embattled Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had a 45-minute meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday morning.

Shinde was summoned by Gandhi after the Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in a by-poll in the chief minister's home constituency, Solapur.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Shinde said not much importance should be attached to the by-poll result since general election is due in 10 months' time.

He said the defeat in Solapur will not have any impact on the party in Maharashtra.

When asked if he suspected the hand of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party in the defeat, Shinde said: "One cannot say anything now."

Asked why Pawar and NCP ministers did not campaign in the by-election, the chief minister said the Congress-NCP alliance is restricted to Maharashtra and Solapur was a parliamentary election.

Shinde said he gave his assessment to Gandhi.

The party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Shivraj Patil, was also present at the meeting.