The ten-day deadlock over Maharashtra chief ministership between Congress and NCP will be resolved on Tuesday.

This was stated by senior Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee and Ahmed Patel after a hour-long meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.

Asked about reports of two deputy chief ministers for NCP, Patel said the issue was being considered and a way would be found out by Tuesday night. Asked whether any meeting between Sonia and NCP chief Sharad Pawar was scheduled, Patel replied in the negative.

The conclave of senior Congress leaders with Sonia a day after the Congress Legislature Party authorised her to take a decision regarding the CLP leader.

A meeting of NCP national office-bearers scheduled for Tuesday to deliberate on the Congress offer did not materialise. "There is no meeting. The situation is as it was yesterday," NCP leader and Union Minister Praful Patel, who is negotiating on behalf the party, said.

Congress, on Sunday, had offered the NCP three additional ministerial berths and two more portfolios in exchange of chief ministership. While there have been reports that the NCP has made a counter-proposal for two deputy chief ministers for the party in lieu of the top post, Praful Patel denied any such demand had been made by his party.

Talks to appoint the next chief minister in Maharashtra have been deadlocked since the assembly election results were announced on October 16.