Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are unlikely to attend Uddhav Thackeray’s swearing-in ceremony as chief minister on Thursday, sources have indicated.

Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray had met Sonia and former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday evening to seek their “blessings”.

But NDTV reported on Thursday that neither Sonia nor Rahul were likely to attend the function. However, both have conveyed their best wishes to the new government.

Speculation continued on Thursday over who would get what post. While the NCP was most likely to get the deputy chief minister’s post, sources said the Congress had more or less agreed to the Speaker’s post.

The name of Ajit Pawar, who had led a revolt and joined hands with the BJP, but is now back in the NCP, is doing the rounds for the deputy chief minister’s post. But it is yet unclear if he will be rewarded so soon even though it was evident that he had regained some of his importance in the party.

Asked if Ajit Pawar would be appointed deputy chief minister, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “I don't know, it is NCP's matter. Sharad Pawar is the seniormost leader of Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising Sena-Congress-NCP). What post should be given to Ajit Pawar or someone else in his party, will be decided by him,” he told First Post.

The Congress has 44 MLAs, the NCP has 54 and the Shiv Sena 56.

On Wednesday night, NCP leader Praful Patel announced that there would be only one deputy chief minister.

However, Congress leaders said the final decision had not been taken yet and refused to discuss the portfolios on Wednesday night. Ajit was invited to the talks on portfolio distribution and fought for berths for his loyalists

Six or seven ministers are expected to take oath with Uddhav on Thursday evening. The ministry will be expanded later, probably on December 3.