Action against Deshmukh if He Turns Rebel, Contests against President’s Son

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has said that if Amaravati MLA Sunil Deshmukh, following allotment of ticket to President Pratibha Patil’s son from the seat, contests the assembly election as an independent candidate, disciplinary action will be taken against him.

“We will try to persuade him not to contest, but if he does so, he would face disciplinary action by the party,” he said.

It may be mentioned that Deshmukh has represented Amaravati seat for last 10 years as a Congress candidate. He won it in 2004 by a margin of over 32, 000 votes.

In response to Deshmukh’s statement that pressure from the President’s husband Devi Singh Shekhawat, a former legislator from Amaravati, resulted in Rajendra Singh receiving ticket, Chavan said, “There was no pressure from any quarter. Rajendrasingh approached the party as an individual and got the ticket.”