The Hindu : Front Page : R.R. Patil quits, Deshmukh sends resignation to party

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Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008
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R.R. Patil quits, Deshmukh sends resignation to party

Special Correspondent

Congress to discuss change of guard today

MUMBAI: In the wake of the terror attacks here, heads are rolling in Maharashtra and the State is all set for a change in the leadership.

Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, who is also the Home Minister, submitted a one-line resignation letter to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday morning and it was forwarded to the Governor.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre told The Hindu that Mr. Deshmukh had sent in his resignation to the high command and the party would discuss the matter on Tuesday.

Mr. Deshmukh, who had gone to New Delhi for a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Sunday, offered to resign if the high command felt he had fallen short in dealing with the security situation.

“I have not got any order from the high command on this as yet. I explained the entire situation to the CWC and if they want me to take moral responsibility, I am ready for it,” he told reporters.

No Minister in the BJP-ruled States had resigned after bomb attacks. “So why should the Congress alone own moral responsibility,” he asked.

He said he was not under any pressure to resign and he had full faith in the high command. “I only offered to quit because the party has put its faith in me and if it thinks I did not do my job then I should go.”

Mr. Deshmukh, who faced public ire for visiting the Taj Mahal Hotel on Sunday along with his son Riteish (who is an actor) and film director Ram Gopal Verma, said it was not a planned visit.

“What is wrong if my sons come with me? The government had sent the media shots of the visit in good faith but no one acknowledged it. If we had any ulterior motive in visiting the hotel, why should we have made it public?”

He said Mr. Verma was a film director and not from the underworld. “Even the media made so many visits. So what is the harm.”

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) State president Arun Gujarathi said the party did not ask Mr. Patil to resign. “He took the decision on his own in a bid to own responsibility for the attacks.” On Tuesday, the NCP legislature party will meet to elect a new leader of the House.

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