Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is the frontrunner to become chief minister of Maharashtra, replacing Vilasrao Deshmukh who is to become the second Congress leader shown the door since Sunday. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was the first to exit, on Sunday. Also going is Maharashtra deputy chief minister R.R. Patil. He gave his resignation to Deshmukh on Monday. “Patil’s resignation has been forwarded to the governor for approval. I offered my resignation at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet. I will abide by the Congress high command decision,” said Deshmukh.

He was speaking at a news conference in Mumbai. Pressure mounted on the Congress to drop Deshmukh after Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar decided to remove Patil.

Deshmukh sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi after he was severely criticised at the CWC meeting on Sunday for his handling of the Mumbai terror attacks, HT has learnt.

And the search for his successor got under way promptly with Gandhi meeting party in-charge for Maharashtra affairs and Defence Minister A.K. Antony and her political secretary Ahmed Patel.

“A coalition government is there and we have to consult our allies before taking a decision. Consultations are on. At this point, I cannot say anything more,” Antony said after meeting Sonia. 

Shinde’s chances are said to be the brightest because he is acceptable to coalition partner NCP. If he does get the nod, as he is expected to, Shinde will return to a job he handed over to Deshmukh in 2004.

But Congress sources did not rule out the possibility someone else getting the job. Union minister Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, son of former Union home minister, late S B Chavan, were also in the race.

As for R R Patil’s successor, NCP state president Arun Gujarathi said, “The NCP legislative party will meet on Tuesday to formally decide on Patil’s likely successor. Two observers have been sent from Delhi – Praful Patel and D P Tripathy- for overseeing this meet.”

Sharad Pawar’s nephew and water resources minister Ajit Pawar, is widely expected to get the job. Low profile and often blunt, Pawar has been holding the reigns of the party in the state for the last four years.

Chhagan Bhujbal  is also being considered for the post.

The important home portfolio may go to any of the younger ministers such as finance minister Jayant Patil and power minister Dilip Walse Patil.

NCP is also thinking about separating the home department from deputy chief ministership with the option of appointing a separate minister for home. In that case, deputy chief minister will head some other department.