Tags: Resign , RR Patil , Shivraj Patil , Deshmukh

New Delhi, Dec 1: After Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil quit today, the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has also tendered his resignation to party chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

"I offered to resign at the CWC meeting (on Saturday) if any responsibility lies on the Chief Minister. Whatever decision the high command and my leader takes, I will abide by it," 63-year-old Deshmukh told a news conference here.

Asked whether he has sent his resignation, he said "I am telling you in very, very simple words. You are intelligent enough to understand." Deshmukh said Patil, who held the Home portfolio and had come under criticism for his handling of the situation, had sent his resignation which has been accepted and forwarded to Governor S C Jamir.

The continuance of Deshmukh, who has been Chief Minister for over four years, became untenable after the state government came under severe criticism over the last week's terror attacks and Shivraj Patil was eased out of the Union Home Ministry yesterday.

On his successor, Deshmukh said neither has he discussed this issue with the high command nor has the central leadership told him anything. Deshmukh also sought to defend Ritesh and Varma accompanying him to Hotel Taj saying he did nothing wrong.

The Chief Minister also announced a slew of measures to strengthen security in the state proposing to set up a unified command for better coordination among security forces.

He also announced that the Maharashtra State Security Guards, on the lines of the National Security Guards, within four months.

A state intelligence training centre would soon become functional in Pune.

On modernisation of police force, he said the state government would set up 24 coastal police stations for better monitoring of the seas.

The state government would also give smart cards to all fishermen, Deshmukh said and requested the Centre to direct other coastal states to follow suit.

The Chief Minister also announced that the government would form a State Security Council to go into matters of security in Maharashtra.

A highly placed Congress sources said that Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh has offered to resign and a decision on it will be taken in a day or two.

Earlier, R R Patil resigned three days after the terror strikes and his party chief Sharad Pawar has asked the Chief Minister to accept the resignation.

"We have taken our own decision. It is for them to take their decision," the NCP supremo told reporters when asked whether the chief minister, who belongs to Congress, had also quit.

A Congress leader, who declined to be named, said if either the CM or the Deputy CM goes, "the other will have to go because the issue is the same".

A beleaguered Deshmukh landed himself in a fresh controversy yesterday as he visited the terror-hit Taj Mahal hotel along with film producer Ram Gopal Verma and Deshmukh's actor son Reitesh.

The issue was raised at the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night which was also attended by Sonia Gandhi with some parties criticising the CM for his "casual" attitude.

Deshmukh recently completed four years in office. The names of Union ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Sushil Kumar Shinde are doing the rounds to replace the Chief Minister and sources say a decision on the successor's name was delaying Deshmukh's resignation.

The name of NCP leader Chagan Bhujbal is doing the rounds for the post of the Deputy CM.

A section of Congress leaders say that strong steps are needed to ensure that the party meant business when it comes to issues of the country's security.

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