Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeraycondoled the death of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh herethis evening, describing him as a "jovial" person.
"It is hard to believe (that Deshmukh is no more)...Ajoivial man has left us. He was not that old," Thackeray saidin a statement.
Deshmukh left his own imprint on the politics, thesena patriarch said.
Thackeray also recalled Deshmukh's cheerfulpersonality, especially his repartee, and his verbal duelswith BJP leader Gopinath Munde, and also his famed friendshipwith cabinet colleague Sushilkumar Shinde.