Deshmukh offers to quit, Deputy R.R. Patil resigns

Mumbai, Dec. 1 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday offered to quit from his post in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks last week.

"I offered to resign at the Congress Working Committee CWC meeting (on Saturday) if any responsibility lies on the Chief Minister. Whatever decisions the high command and my leader takes, I will abide by it," Deshmukh told reporters in Mumbai.

However, sources said that he will continue in his post till a successor is decided by the Congress party leadership.eshmukh, who has been Chief Minister for over four years now, was under tremendous pressure from the opposition to resign after last week's terror attacks on Mumbai.

"No one resigned after the attack on the Parliament",Deshmukh said at the press conference.

Earlier,his deputy R.R.Patil resigned which was accepted by the Governor of Maharashtra S.C. Jamir.

Prithviraj Chauhan and Sushil Shinde are believed to be frontrunners for the post of CM in Maharashtra.

The Congress high command is particularly upset over Deshmukh's 'Terror Tour 'of the damaged Taj Hertitage Hotel,with his actor son Riteish Deshmukh and famous film producer Ram Gopal Varma on Sunday.

"They were no terrorists",Deshmukh said defending Varma and son Reteish.

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

He also said that a state intelligence training centre would soon become functional in Pune.he State Government would also set up 24 coastal police stations to ensure better monitoring of the sea, Deshmukh informed.

Smart cards would also be given to all fishermen; Deshmukh said and requested the Centre to direct other coastal states to do the same.

State Government would soon form a State Security Council which would look specifically into security concerns, he said.

ANI