Mumbai, January 30: After Nationalist Congress Party leaders met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday said that the decision on the vacant post of Deputy CM, following the demise of NCP chief Ajit Pawar, will likely be taken later in the day.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chhagan Bhujbal said that the NCP has asked whether the "swearing-in ceremony" can be held tomorrow.

"We went to meet the CM. Praful Bhai (Praful Patel), Tatkare (Sunil Tatkare) I, and Munde (Dhananjay Munde). We also met him last night. We asked if everything could be done tomorrow, from the swearing-in ceremony to everything else. The Chief Minister said he had no problem with it," he said.

"When someone passes away, sometimes people observe a period of mourning for three days, sometimes ten days, and during that time, people don't go out, or something like that, I don't know. Tatkare and Praful Bhai themselves are looking into it. Most likely, the decision will come in an hour or two," he added.

NCP Maharashtra President Sunil Tatkare declined to comment on discussions regarding the vacant Deputy CM post.

"We still feel that Dada (Ajit Pawar) is with us. It is very painful for us to come to this (party) office today in his absence. Beyond that, I have nothing else to say," he said.

Earlier, NCP Working President Praful Patel said a decision on the vacant posts of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and cabinet portfolios would be made soon.

He said, "Ajit Dada was our leader and the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. We need to fill the position soon, and have spoken with CM Fadnavis regarding this. We are going to make a decision soon after we speak to the (Pawar) family, and according to the sentiments of the public."

Meanwhile, there are reports of a possible merger of NCP and Sharad Pawar's faction of NCP

Member of Vidya Prathisthan and a close associate of the Pawar family, Kiran Gujar, said that NCP chief Ajit Pawar's last wish was to unite the two party factions.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Kiran Gujar said, "Today, the ashes of Ajit Pawar were immersed at Sangam here. It was 'Dada's' last wish that this (merger of two factions of NCP) should happen. All should be united. Talks about this were happening throughout the family. In my last phone call with them, he had asked me for some election-related papers."

Ajit Pawar, 66, died on Wednesday morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

His death has sparked fresh conjectures in Maharashtra politics. (ANI)