NCP appeared to be preparing for a climbdown on Tuesday as Congress, which has emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly with 75 MLAs, took a tough posture on the issue of chief ministership.

NCP state unit chief Chhagan Bhujbal said, "A package of ministerial portfolios and chairmanship of various government corporations can be considered while finding a solution to the current deadlock."

MPCC chief Prataprao Bhosale returned here this morning after briefing the party high command in New Delhi on the status of negotiations with NCP.Before leaving for Delhi, Bhosale had told reporters that "if NCP does not agree to our demand that the CM's post be left to Congress, then we will prefer sitting in the Opposition and there will be no compromise on the issue".

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who arrived here on Tuesday told PTI that his party was making `sincere efforts' to end the stalemate over talks with Congress.Pawar was likely to address a meeting of party MLAs here later in the day, sources said.

Meanwhile, senior leaders of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, who have put on hold any move to stake claim to form a new government, were in Delhi. Meanwhile, NCP held Congress responsible for the current deadlock over government formation in the state. Stressing that the issue of chief ministership, the bone of contention between NCP and Congress, remains unresolved, NCP said, "The issue could be resolved if talks on a total package relating to portfolio allocation and appointments to various state corporations was discussed."

NCP state unit spokesperson Vasant Chavan told reporters here that "the delay in a Congress-NCP government assuming office in the state has been caused by Congress, whose leaders could not participate in talks for the last two days".

"A joint meeting between Congress and NCP could not beheld due to the problems of Congress leaders", he said. "For any point raised during the meeting, they (Congress) want to adjourn the meeting in order to consult the party high command. We feel that they should resolve that issue first and obtain the necessary authority to hold parleys on issues under consideration", Chavan said.

The NCP was not in favour of the CM's tenure being shared for two and half years each by the contending parties as mooted by RPI faction leader Ramdas Athavale, he said, adding, "whatever cabinet portfolios NCP gets would be accordingly shared with our allies."

Asked if NCP had "other options" like holding talks ongovernment formation with Sena-BJP alliance if talks with Congress failed, Chavan said "as of now we are holding talks only with Congress. Neither has there been any offer from others nor have we made any offer to them".