The Congress-NCP ministry in Maharashtra may be sworn in on Friday, a fortnight after Assembly results were declared, following resolution of differences over portfolio allocation between the alliance partners.

"At the meetings held in Delhi, the differences over sharing portfolios, including the number of ministries to be held by each party, have been sorted out and the new government looks set to be sworn in at Raj Bhawan here tomorrow," NCP sources said.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Ahmad Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, played a key role in resolution of the differences between the two parties, the sources said while declining to reveal the details of the compromise formula reached in Delhi.

Patel had last night told reporters in the national capital that the impasse will end on a positive note by today. Governor S C Jamir had on Tuesday summoned caretaker Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal for consultations, telling them it was their responsibility to form a government without delay.

The Governor had reminded Chavan and Bhujbal that since the Maharashtra electorate had given them a fresh mandate, it was their responsibility to respect it and complete the exercise of government formation without further waste of time.