Attack aftermath: Maharashtra Deputy CM resigns

Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) Deputy Chief Minister of the
western Indian state of Maharashtra R R Patil, who was in the
cross hairs in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, resigned
Monday.

"I have submitted my resignation letter to Chief
Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. I have gone by my conscience and
decided to take this step," Patil told PTI.

"I pondered over the issue the whole night yesterday.
Finally, I have decided to quit as per my conscience," Patil
said.

Patil's resignation follows the exit of the Union Home
Minister Shivraj Patil, who put in his papers to Prime
Minister of India Manmohan Singh Sunday, after the Congress
Working Committee (CWC) spoke disapprovingly of the Home
Minister, in light of the Mumbai carnage and other terror
strikes in the country.

The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, who was also in
charge of the state Home Ministry, was under severe criticism
following the terror attacks with opposition Shiv Sena and
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding his resignation
alleging that he failed to handle the situation.

Patil belongs to the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP) and hails from Sangli district in western
Maharashtra. PTI