Vilasrao Deshmukh's new role unsettles detractors

Union minister of science and technology Vilasrao Deshmukh's role as a mediator between the government and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has not found favour among his detractors in Maharashtra, who appear to be stunned by the prominence Deshmukh was given by the government and the party leadership in holding talks with Hazare in Marathi.

A Congress minister, on the condition of anonymity told Business Standard, “Undoubtedly, Deshmukh’s new role would make him politically powerful, as he would continue to call the shots in state politics, especially when the elections to the civic bodies and local self government are held in November and February next year. We are really surprised at the manner in which Deshmukh was fielded to negotiate with Hazare. Till Wednesday, Deshmukh, who has negotiated with Hazare for couple of times on state issues in the past, was on the scene, but suddenly he is hogging the limelight.” He said Deshmukh was keeping a low profile due to his role in the Adarsh housing society scam and also after the Supreme Court judge criticised him for shielding a Congress MLA's family from complaints on money lending by poor farmers during his tenure as chief minister.

Deshmukh was not available for comments.

A Congress national executive member said Deshmukh had lost his rural development ministry but saved his place in the council of ministers. “Deshmukh was made minister for science and technology, a politically insignificant ministry but he was not dropped from the cabinet. This was possible due to Deshmukh’s proximity with Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political advisor Ahmad Patel,” he said.

He said Deshmukh has survived several political storms in the past but his role as government’s mediator with Hazare has given him a new boost. “He has also put weight behind his son and the party legislator Amit Deshmukh for becoming the president of state youth Congress. He won’t mind extending his support to another contender S Tambe from southern Maharashtra,” the Congress leader said.