Deshmukh to meet Sonia Gandhi today

Beleaguered Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh is arriving in New Delhi today for talks with the Congress leadership in the wake of his offer to resign following the Mumbai terror attacks.

Beleaguered Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is arriving in New Delhi on Tuesday evening for talks with the Congress leadership in the wake of his offer of resignation following the Mumbai terror attacks.

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The discussions on the issue of successor to Deshmukh would gain momentum after his arrival in the Capital, Congress sources said.

They said that the chief minister would leave for Delhi after seeing off President Pratibha Patil, who is currently in Mumbai, in the afternoon.

Deshmukh will hold talks with Congress President Sonia Gandhi as well as senior leaders including A K Antony, who is in-charge of party affairs of Maharashtra, and Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel.

NCP leader Shard Pawar and Antony are also expected to have discussions on the issue, the sources said.

"We are not against anyone and our only expectation is that the leader in Maharashtra should be decided after consulting us as it is a coalition government," union minister and NCP leader Praful had said on Monday.

Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and AICC General Secretary Prithviraj Chavan are strong contenders for the top post in Maharashtra.

The name of Maharashtra minister Ashok Chavan is also being referred by a section in the Congress. Narayan Rane, a former chief minister, has also been an aspirant for the top state post for long.

While Deshmukh offered to resign, his deputy R R Patil has already put in his papers.