Vilasrao Deshmukh is No More

Thousands of grieving supporters and family on Wednesday bade a tearful adieu to Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh whose mortal remains were consigned to flames at his native Babhalgaon village from where he began his political journey as an obscure sarpanch four decades ago.

A sea of humanity, including hundreds of moist-eyed women, converged here, on the outskirts of district town of Latur, for the last glimpse of the illustrious son of the soil who rose in their midst to stride the corridors of power in Mumbai and Delhi.

“I am feeling very sorry. I have known Vilasrao Deshmukh for years. Riteish is a close friend of mine, I spoke to him,” Shah Rukh Khan told reporters here at an event.

“I am very sad. It is unexpected. He was a wonderful gentleman apart from being the Chief Minister. I am deeply disturbed. I am very sorry to hear this… my respects to the family,” SRK added.

The last rites were performed by Deshmukh’s eldest son and Latur town MLA Amit at a family farm close to where his father Dagdojirao Deshmukh was cremated.

Deshmukh, 67, died yesterday at Chennai’s Global Hospital from serious liver ailment, a week after he was flown in an air ambulance from Mumbai in a critical condition.

Earlier, a solemn-looking Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi placed wreaths on the casket carrying the body of Deshmukh, state’s tallest Congress leader and twice chief minister, at Dayanand Vidyalaya where it lay in state for public to pay their last respects.

Gandhi walked up to Deshmukh’s widow Vaishali, who fought back tears, and held her in comforting embrace as the Prime Minister offered his condolences to the departed leader’s son Amit. Deshmukh’s teary-eyed family members, including his wife, actor son Riteish and Dheeraj, acknowledged with gratitude the condolences with folded hands.

Actress Raveena Tandon reached out to both Riteish and his actress wife Genelia D’Souza on twitter. “Rest In Peace Vilasrao Deshmukh. Condolences to the bereaved family, @Riteishd and @geneliad, words cannot express the shock nd grief we are feeling,” she wrote.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi offered her condolences, saying he was too young to die. “Vilasrao Deshmukh no more. Too young to die. As CM he gave Nivara a lot of support for our slum rehabilitation project. Condolences to the family.”