PM, Sonia visit Latur, pay homage to Vilasrao Deshmukh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday visited Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's native Babhalgaon village in Latur and paid their last respects to the departed leader.

Both Singh and Gandhi laid a wreath on the wooden casket, in which Deshmukh's body rested. Gandhi went up to Deshmukh's wife Vaishali and consoled and hugged her.

Dr Singh spoke to Deshmukh's son Amit and consoled him. Both the prime minister and the United Progressive Alliance chairperson sat with the family for a few minutes before leaving.

Governor K Sankarayananan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, his deputy Ajit Pawar, All India Congress Committee in-charge of the state Mohan Prakash, State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, Union Minister Mukul Wasnik and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajiv Shukla accompanied the Prime Minister and Gandhi.

Deshmukh's mortal remains would be consigned to flames at around 4 pm on Wednesday at his farm at Babhalgaon, close to the place where his father Dagdojirao was cremated.

The senior Congress leader passed away at the Global Hospital in Chennai on Tuesday.