The DUP executive has been called to a meeting on Monday as the party contemplates a possible return to power-sharing.
In an email circulated yesterday evening, members of the 120 strong body were told party leader Jeffrey Donaldson wanted to provide them with a "detailed update on the current political situation".
It will fuel speculation that Mr Donaldson is hoping to persuade the party to back a deal with the UK government that would see a return to Stormont.
Earlier this week, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris extended the deadline for the calling of a fresh assembly election until 8 February.
The short timeframe added to a sense that UK government felt the gap between it and the DUP over post Brexit trading arrangements could be bridged in the coming days.
In the email from the DUP's chief executive, delegates to the meeting were told the meeting would be held on Monday at 7pm.
However they were not given the venue and said more details would follow.
The official asked that details were not discussed with the media, but shortly afterwards the content was leaked to journalists.
It was also posted on social media by opponents of any political compromise that would see the DUP accept some form of border in the Irish Sea.
Earlier this week, Mr Donaldson made an impassioned speech about his efforts to resolve the stand-off.
He hit out at critics who he said had pilloried his efforts to reach a resolution without offering any solutions themselves.
There has been no functioning government in Northern Ireland for two years after the DUP withdrew from power-sharing claiming new post-Brexit trading rules had cut Northern Ireland off economically and constitutionally from the rest of the UK.
