Who will replace Anil Deshmukh as Maharashtra home minister?

Resignation of Anil Deshmukh as Maharashtra home minister following an order by Bombay High Court that the CBI should conduct a preliminary inquiry in the charges levelled by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against him has put the Nationalist Congress Party in a tight spot and fuelled speculations on who will be the new home minister.

The chain of events which began with presence of an explosives-laden Scorpio outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani, the alleged murder of its owner Mansukh Hiran, subsequent arrest of police officer Sachin Vaze, who was Param Bir Singh's blue eyed boy, has finally led to the resignation of Deshmukh. His resignation has been accepted by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Soon after HC delivered it's order, Deshmukh met party chief Sharad Pawar. It was conveyed to Deshmukh that he should resign to minimise the damage caused by the events to the image of the party and the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

At present, there are two people in the race to replace Deshmukh. They are Irrigation Minister Jayant Patil and Excise and Labour Minister Dilip Walse-Patil. Both these leaders are very close to Pawar. Jayant Patil is also the state NCP chief. Dilip Walse-Patil has been Pawar's private secretary in his younger days. Both these leaders enjoy the reputation of being very efficient ministers.

However, of late Dilip Walse-Patil had some health issues.