Congress wants Amit Deshmukh in state cabinet

The Congress is keen on getting Amit Deshmukh, 36, legislator son of late Vilasrao Deshmukh, inducted into the Maharashtra cabinet.

The Congress is keen on getting Amit Deshmukh, 36, legislator son of late Vilasrao Deshmukh, inducted into the Maharashtra cabinet.

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While announcing a statewide programme for immersion of Deshmukh’s ashes, state party president Manikrao Thakre said: “Amit has been working very hard for the party for many years. I want him to become big at all levels.”

Union minister of science and technology and two-time state CM Vilasrao died of liver cancer on August 14. His death has also vacated a Rajya Sabha seat, which would be elected by the state legislative assembly in a by-poll.

Sources in the Congress said that the Deshmukhs might not be too interested in getting a Rajya Sabha nomination for a family member but they would definitely want Vilasrao’s political heir Amit to get promoted as a minister. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is also in favour of the Latur legislator’s elevation and he could induct him into his cabinet before the Ganesh festival.

According to Thakre, Vilasrao’s ashes will be brought to Mumbai from Latur on August 27. The urn containing ashes will be kept at the Mumbai Congress office in Azad Maidan on August 29, before immersing them at Banganga on August 30.