Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Congress President Sonia Gandhi will attend the funeral of
Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh tomorrow.
Union Ministers Sharad Pawar and Sushilkumar Shinde will
also be present, sources said. AICC general secretary Janardan
Dwivedi confirmed the visit of Gandhi.
The sources said that Singh will also visit Deshmukh's
native place Babhalgaon in Maharashtra, where the cremation
will take place.
Meanwhile, a meeeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by the
Prime Minister this evening passed a resolution condoling
Deshmukh's death and hailing him as a "grassroots political
leader" with extraordinary sensitivity to the people's needs.
"Deshmukh was a valued Member of the Union Cabinet. He
handled his public responsibilities with tact, politeness and
grace. He was held in very high esteem across the political
spectrum. In his death, the country has lost a popular
leader," the Cabinet resolution said.
It also placed on record the Cabinet's appreciation of
Deshmukh's services to the nation and deep sense of grief and
loss at his passing away and extended its sincere condolences
to the members of his family.
The Cabinet decided that Deshmukh will be given state
funeral.
"The Cabinet has learnt with profound sorrow about the
passing away of Deshmukh, Union Cabinet Minister today at
Chennai. The Cabinet condoles the untimely and sad demise of
Deshmukh," the release said.
The resolution noted that during his long political
career, Deshmukh worked in different capacities both in the
state and the Centre.
