Deshmukh resigns; says lucky to have been CM twice

Mumbai, Dec 4 (PTI) India's western state of Maharashtra
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who last month completed
four years of his second term in the office, resigned Thursday
in the wake of the terror attacks in the metropolis.

The 63-year-old Deshmukh drove to Raj Bhawan and
submitted his resignation to Governor S C Jamir, soon after
addressing a press conference where he thanked Congress
president Sonia Gandhi for giving him an opportunity to be at
the helm of affairs in the state on two occasions.

"I have served for so long in the government... it is now
my duty to serve the party", Deshmukh said when asked if he
would be contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"The party has to decide whether I should contest Lok
Sabha or other election", Deshmukh said.

The development work done by the Congress-NCP government
during my tenure would help Congress in winning the next
elections, Deshmukh said.

He remained silent on who would succeed him. "The
legislature party will decide and Sonia Gandhi will take the
final decision", he said.

Asked about any regret during his tenure, Deshmukh
pointed to the Mumbai terror attacks, adding "we could not
save so many lives lost in the war against India".

At the press conference, Deshmukh was flanked by
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC)president
Manikrao Thakre and working president Jaywantrao Awale. PTI
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