Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, in the eye of a storm over non-implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report and controversies surrounding the sale of Waqf Board properties, has once again managed to ward off his detractors’ attempts to force a change of guard in the state. In a clear indication that Congress President Sonia Gandhi has given him reprieve for now, on Saturday Sonia asked Deshmukh to fill up vacancies in corporations and boards and also effect a Cabinet reshuffle by the month-end. In a meeting with the High Command, Deshmukh briefed Gandhi about the action taken by him on the Srikrishna Commission report on the 1992-1993 Mumbai riots.Asked whether the Congress High Command was satisfied with his explanation, Deshmukh told reporters, “I myself am not happy with the implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report. More needs to be done. The Congress President has asked me to implement it as soon as possible.”AICC General Secretary in charge of Maharashtra Margaret Alva was learnt to have submitted a report to the Congress President earlier, criticising Deshmukh’s style of functioning and saying he had alienated every section of society. She had also mentioned the irregularities in Waqf properties and pointed out the alleged involvement of some relatives of the Chief Minister, according to sources.
