"The death of Vilasrao is a great loss to Maharashtra, the Congress party and the Union government. In the death of Mr Deshmukh, I lost a very good friend," he said.
Vilasrao was a senior Congress leader who came up from the grass-root level and championed the cause of the poor and downtrodden. As chief minister of Maharashtra he launched many measures for the overall development of the state, Reddy said.
"He had a vast experience as union minister and handled various important portfolios like Heavy industries, Public Enterprises, Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Science and Technology," the chief minister said.
In a message to Vilasrao's son Riteish, Reddy conveyed condolences and extended sympathies to the bereaved family members.
